Laptops for doctors

[chicandtoughness]

This is the most #firstworldproblems question ever, but I am curious:

Do physicians (not med students, not residents!) have need of a laptop? Could you get by working as a full fledged doctor without owning personal technology? If you do need a laptop, would your employer provide it, or are you expected to BYO tech?

I’m on an extreme minimalism kick and frankly tired of owning so much crap. Just wondering what the future may hold.

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[AMEHigh]

Are you asking if a doctor can get away with owning a desk top or no computer at all?

Sure it’d be possible, but it’d just make your life more difficult to not have a computer at all.
You can do things like re-apply for your license or watch an online lecture for CME at work, but I do most of those miscellaneous tasks at home on my own computer.

Due to Covid and the jump to telemedicine my current job did give everyone laptops, but I still mostly use my personal laptop more.

 

[chicandtoughness]

Are you asking if a doctor can get away with owning a desk top or no computer at all?

Oops! I was very unclear in my initial post. I meant can a doctor get away with only owning a desktop, no laptop/tablet.

 

[ChicagoBob]

Why not use your laptop instead of a desktop? I'm a very heavy computer user and have not had a desktop in a decade.

 

[chicandtoughness]

Why not use your laptop instead of a desktop? I'm a very heavy computer user and have not had a desktop in a decade.

I’ve had a gaming desktop for ages and don’t want to own both.

 

[jhmmd]

This is the most #firstworldproblems question ever, but I am curious:

Do physicians (not med students, not residents!) have need of a laptop? Could you get by working as a full fledged doctor without owning personal technology? If you do need a laptop, would your employer provide it, or are you expected to BYO tech?

I’m on an extreme minimalism kick and frankly tired of owning so much crap. Just wondering what the future may hold.

Most med schools require students to own a laptop. As a doctor, I can imagine that you'll be doing similar things w/a computer. I guess you could get away with not owning one, but it may end up making you feel like you live under a rock.

 

[LukeChester]

I think it is just a matter of portability, no more. I know both physicians who use a desktop since 2000th and physicians who consider getting a paper notebook enough Furthermore, most of us own smartphones now - so you have all you need in your pocket: notes, books, special apps, and so on.
I never heard that the availability of a laptop was necessarily required for medical employees. About if employers provide it - depends on employers. But again, I never heard that it may be a reason to reject a job candidate.