How often do you draw while taking notes in class?

[Ncognito13]

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I'm an incoming M1 student and I'm trying to decide on a new computer. Throughout undergrad I took notes with paper and pencil, but would like to switch to computer-based note taking from here on out. I'm currently between an ASUS Touchscreen Ultrabook (UX303LN) or a Microsoft Surface Pro 3. The ASUS is a normal hinged laptop while the Surface Pro 3 is a tablet (that runs full Windows, specifically OneNote) that has an optional keyboard attachment. The other added bonus is its included digitizer pen that's useful for drawing.

From my experience in undergrad, I never really had to redraw an entire image shown in class (unless the professor was ONLY drawing on the blackboard). I was simply adding on to the existing drawing with small notes or short explanations of what was going on. Is this the same in medical school? If so, then the ASUS would be the better choice. I would type alongside the pdf handout and draw with my finger if I really need to add or circle something.

But if I need full drawings then the Surface Pro 3 is the better choice. What do you guys think?

 

[coffeesnob]

hm i would be really surprised if any of the US med school still uses blackboards. i think the standard is powerpoint slides with recorded lectures. I stopped taking notes all together towards the end of MS1. I stopped adding my own stuff onto slides as well.

Things I drew on paper were some biochem pathways (shudder), artery/nerve branches for gross anatomy, and endocrine axis, etc. Basically just pathways and stuff to learn by muscle memory.

Some people do the adding onto slides on iPads or the equivalents like you mentioned. I scribble stuff on paper when I am watching lectures, but study the slides not my scribbles.

I would make sure whatever you end up choosing can support an external monitor. Getting an external monitor for my mac air significantly improved my learning experience.

oh yeah. also i would rather ask the current students at your institution.

 

[zeppelinpage4]

I draw tons of doodles, it's great when lectures get boring and don't make any sense...

Except for my cartoons and drawing of airplanes, I don't recall ever drawing out any real class notes or diagrams during lecture...the professors would go pretty fast and just talk over slides. S0 the rare times I was serious and paying attention, my class notes were just typed notes and had arrowed diagrams like --> this under the power point slides. Nothing hand written or drawn.

Edit: +1 for coffeesnob's suggestion on the monitor, that was by far one of the most useful things I had. I could play lectures on the big monitor, and simultaneously type notes on my laptop.

 

[pathologyDO]

Never draw anything during class it's usually at home.

 

[Spinach Dip]

Sleeping in class >>> Drawing in class

 

[SBR249]

I usually took notes on my syllabus directly but I could probably count the number of time I drew a diagram over the entire 2 preclinical years on one hand. If you aren't so into handwriting notes, then any decent PDF reader would let you write sticky notes anywhere on the documents and that's probably enough for 95% of what you will do.

 

[Rocher]

Going to class is in general a waste of time. Don't feel guilty for not going, I have many classmates who felt guilty skipping class but in the end regretted going so much. You only have so much time to learn the material. I think a regular hinged laptop is probably your best bet, tablets are nice but you probably won't use it as much as you think you might.

 

[SBR249]

I tried the not going to class stuff, but I either end up not being as productive or spending about the same amount of time anyway in the end. So I went, if only so I'd leave my apartment once in a while during the week. I'd say about 1/4 to 1/3 of our class regularly went to class. Different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

[McNCheese]

I rarely drew diagrams during lecture. There is a whiteboard under our lecture screen that the lecturers will occasionally use, and I've found it helpful to be able to copy down what they've drawn. Granted, this probably happened 5 times during the year, so it wouldn't have been a huge issue had I not been able to drawn the figure directly into my notes.

I do find it helpful to be able to circle/highlight/write notes anywhere on the powerpoint.

I use a lenovo x230t - it's a convertible laptop/tablet. It has great feedback when writing with the stylus. It's certainly heavier than an ultrabook or strict tablet, but I like the extended functionality. If you are in the market for a new computer, this model is certainly worth considering alongside your other options.

 

[PL198]

Sleeping in class >>> Drawing in class

Not going to class >>>> going to class

 

[Spinach Dip]

Not going to class >>>> going to class

But don't you find immunology lectures incredibly relaxing? It's something about the maturation of T cells and the (yawn) recognition of allergens... and... (zzzz)

 

[PL198]

But don't you find immunology lectures incredibly relaxing? It's something about the maturation of T cells and the (yawn) recognition of allergens... and... (zzzz)

Yes whenever I have trouble sleeping at night, I just go to micro lecture. If that **** doesn't put you to sleep, then you're christian bale from the machinist.

 

[dermaway]

I thought this thread would be about doodling in class while not paying attention. I probably have stick figures on at least half of my notes

 

[endtheleftwing]

Never draw anything during class it's usually at home.

Yeah, I generally find that making illustrations while the teacher is speaking at a ridiculous speed is , well, ridiculous.

 

[NontradCA]

Yeah, I generally find that making illustrations while the teacher is speaking at a ridiculous speed is , well, ridiculous.

Strong bump. Shoulda waited a week for nostalgia sake.