Is a surface pro/ipad really necessary?

[Sandy4321]

Hi everyone! Incoming MS1 starting in a week. This question is for current med students. I currently have a 2015 macbook pro 13 inch. I am wondering if I would be fine using it during my first 2 years or if it's actually worth getting a tablet. I'd like to go for whatever option will make my life during M1 and M2 easier.

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[Sterling_Archer]

My school provided surface pros. I almost never used the tablet functions or surface pen and exclusively used it in laptop mode. The surface works fine, but the detachable keyboard can be annoying. If I had to get my own, I'd probably get a regular laptop. My two cents. I'd also check to see if your school provides laptops/tablets.

 

[Sharpie STAT]

It depends on if you're a note-taker or not. I also have a Macbook Pro, and it has been perfect. I have an iPad pro, and I barely use it now. I just use it to reference a few textbook PDF's or as a timer while I study. It has the ability to draw on PDFs, but I don't find myself doing this much at all, as I don't take notes anymore.

I think you should just use your Macbook for now. If you are a few days/weeks in and you feel that an iPad would benefit your studying, go buy one then.

 

[Medic741]

It depends on if you're a note-taker or not. I also have a Macbook Pro, and it has been perfect. I have an iPad pro, and I barely use it now. I just use it to reference a few textbook PDF's or as a timer while I study. It has the ability to draw on PDFs, but I don't find myself doing this much at all, as I don't take notes anymore.

I think you should just use your Macbook for now. If you are a few days/weeks in and you feel that an iPad would benefit your studying, go buy one then.

I’ll second this. Took a lot of notes M1 & downloading the PowerPoints and annotating directly on them was super helpful. In M2 stopped taking notes and made anki cards instead while watching a lecture and hardly touched the iPad

 

[LyMed]

You're fine with just a laptop. I've wasted a ton of money preemptively buying stuff. If you find midway through that you really want a tablet, then get one later.

 

[Sandy4321]

Thanks so much for your feedback everyone! I'm going to go with your suggestions and will see how I do first with my macbook.

 

[Dr. Brightside]

I cannot imagine not using my Surface Pro (or an iPad Pro) for med school honestly. Typing notes on a keyboard feels so constrained and you don't retain any of it. Being able to draw color-coded notes, questions, concept maps, outlines on the fly during lecture, then redrawing pathways/outlines later is so incredibly useful. I've also tried not taking notes and just doing Anki but that took more time since I didn't really understand anything and had to keep relearning cards.

 

[jurassicpark]

Whatever you want. I would prefer something like a lot of power that can at least handle GTA V if lectures get too slow.

 

[watermelon master]

I cannot imagine not using my Surface Pro (or an iPad Pro) for med school honestly. Typing notes on a keyboard feels so constrained and you don't retain any of it. Being able to draw color-coded notes, questions, concept maps, outlines on the fly during lecture, then redrawing pathways/outlines later is so incredibly useful. I've also tried not taking notes and just doing Anki but that took more time since I didn't really understand anything and had to keep relearning cards.

Type notes into anki and then write out whatever scratch notes in front of you and never look at them again. Works much better IMO than using surface pro/ipad pro/touchscreen device