What to Pack for Medical School

[Fedxup]

It is about 4-6 months until the school year starts. Just wondering if you can get a list of essentials for medical school! I have been a commuter student throughout college so suggestions are welcome. We can potentially make a list of things!
Edit: Besides the obvious things.

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[samac]

That made me want to vomit.
I'M SO UNPREPARED

 

[polylux]

1. computer
2. sleeping bag
3. alcohol

Should be enough.

 

[Fedxup]

1. computer
2. sleeping bag
3. alcohol

Should be enough.

Sleep
Jokes
maybe some pens

 

[polylux]

You can pack sleep??? How are you not a billionaire

 

[LChristmas]

Sleep usually comes with the alcohol

 

[235009]

it's not camp, you're an adult and unless you're going to the caribbean you can always buy what you need

 

[jqueb29]

Are you asking what to take to class? When I actually go to class, I literally just take my laptop and charger.

 

[cabinbuilder]

You are moving somewhere for 4 years. Plan accordingly, take your stuff.

 

[Fedxup]

Are you asking what to take to class? When I actually go to class, I literally just take my laptop and charger.

More like to your apartment. Maybe little things that people might forgot or overlook.

 

[dorothyntoto]

Clothes...
whatever else you need to survive...

do you maybe have a more specific question?

 

[MightBeACylon439]

Toothbrush!!!

 

[studyfordo]

desk, chair, bed, clothes, toiletries. didnt you go to college? lol

 

[medickdb]

Get a nice pillow... for your butt... because you're going to be sitting on it a lot.

 

[polylux]

desk, chair, bed, clothes, toiletries. didnt you go to college? lol

He noted above that he commuted.

 

[studyfordo]

ahhhhhhhh. i stand corrected.

 

[Bea5T]

Don't want to get dehydrated

 

[AlteredScale]

Tissues for the tears you'll shed when you find out how hard medical school is.

 

[Dr.Jekyll75]

Nutella

 

[MedNation907]

A big white board. I used white boards all the time when I studied for classes like Immunology or Biochemistry in UG, was a huge help.
Otherwise, I can't think of anything else that's not considerably 'obvious'.

I'm also set on buying a completely furnished apartment, so that I can simply walk in and start living lol

 

[exacto]

duct tape, a ball gag,petroleum jelly, and some vodka.... oh wait, that's another list... 😉

 

[Matrix0992]

duct tape, a ball gag,petroleum jelly, and some vodka.... oh wait, that's another list... 😉

Pocket *****

 

[DloopF2]

Keurig

 

[Stlblues17]

Wife and kid? Do I pack them or let them sit in the car...?

 

[PlaqueBuster]

Money and credit cards....everything else will follow

 

[DrBowtie]

Things you'll want to invest money in above the baseline cheap first apartment grade:

Bed - sleep becomes scarce so the little bit you get should be high quality. Consider blackout curtains as well for post call.

Desk and desk chair - given the shear amount of hours you will spend there, make it comfortable. Remember to move Q2 to avoid decub ulcers and DVTs.

Coffee Maker - you'll use a lot of caffeine. Alternatively costco membership for a pallet of energy drinks.

Whiteboard - As mentioned above is clutch for repeated writing out pathways, anatomy etc. I used it also as my giant to do list pre test and during boards.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

Keurig

Espresso machine >>>> Keurig


That's more > then MD vs DO btw.

 

[ortnakas]

Espresso machine >>>> Keurig


That's more > then MD vs DO btw.

Second this.

I'm a first year. On several occasions I have used my espresso machine multiple times per day.

Other than that-- you need whatever you'd ordinarily need to furnish an apartment? Crock pots are nice. And so are whiteboards. Although dry erase markers also work great on mirrors and windows.

 

[MedNation907]

How many first/second year's actually bought and used a standard notebook? I always enjoyed re-writing notes as a method of studying, is that even comprehensible in nonclinical years?

 

[Desired Member]

How many first/second year's actually bought and used a standard notebook? I always enjoyed re-writing notes as a method of studying, is that even comprehensible in nonclinical years?

x2...I study the same way and have been wondering the same thing...

 

[AM508]

x2...I study the same way and have been wondering the same thing...

x3. I still have about 20 blank cheap spiral bound notebooks in my closet. During undergrad, when they were on sale for like 29 cents a piece I would buy whole fleets of them to rewrite ad nauseum things that were confusing.

 

[exacto]

X4 lol... I dont like to take notes on computers, rather write them down, especially when you have to draw a pathway or diagram and the teacher keeps adding or erasing things.

I always thought that the act of writing it down also triggers your memory, and helps learn it.

 

[AM508]

X4 lol... I dont like to take notes on computers, rather write them down, especially when you have to draw a pathway or diagram and the teacher keeps adding or erasing things.

I always thought that the act of writing it down also triggers your memory, and helps learn it.

Yeah, I have always been a fan of printed power points, a spiral notebook, and a pencil...Then if I wanted to neaten things up, do some sort of summary outline of each lecture on the computer after lecture. I have no clue how this will work once I get started in med school. We will have iPads, but I am not sure how much more efficient I can be on that rather than a printout....We shall see, I suppose.

 

[AlteredScale]

X4 lol... I dont like to take notes on computers, rather write them down, especially when you have to draw a pathway or diagram and the teacher keeps adding or erasing things.

I always thought that the act of writing it down also triggers your memory, and helps learn it.

X5!!!!

I draw things out a lot and helps much more than typing and even wrote things down for pharmacology (undergrad) to help my memory.

I will say I enjoy the OneNote on the iPad.

 

[MedNation907]

Yeah, I have always been a fan of printed power points, a spiral notebook, and a pencil...Then if I wanted to neaten things up, do some sort of summary outline of each lecture on the computer after lecture. I have no clue how this will work once I get started in med school. We will have iPads, but I am not sure how much more efficient I can be on that rather than a printout....We shall see, I suppose.

Dude, we are the same person lol

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

Guys, he needs a serious answer. Only thing you need in med school:

:

Ok, I had to troll a bit, since obviously not-allo 🙂

 

[67552931811]

Guys, he needs a serious answer. Only thing you need in med school:

:

Ok, I had to troll a bit, since obviously not-allo 🙂

How is this trolling? Just about 1/2 of DO students take the usmle.

 

[medickdb]

How many first/second year's actually bought and used a standard notebook? I always enjoyed re-writing notes as a method of studying, is that even comprehensible in nonclinical years?

I do that sometimes. It depends on the subject. Honestly, you'll find different ways to study each subject. One thing I like using is a whiteboard.

 

[Fluidity of Movement]

How is this trolling? Just about 1/2 of DO students take the usmle.

I thought it was a cute little joke. Why'd you have to go and bring in facts and trends?

Fine.

Updated version of joke:

All you need for medical school:

 

[Azmah]

X5!!!!

I draw things out a lot and helps much more than typing and even wrote things down for pharmacology (undergrad) to help my memory.

I will say I enjoy the OneNote on the iPad.

X6...I like to write everything down too. Then re-rewrite it on Microsoft Word to make it look clean and organized, with pictures.

OneNote free for iPad? Don't really like using a stylus with Tablets. Or maybe I haven't tried getting a good stylus.

 

[ortnakas]

How many first/second year's actually bought and used a standard notebook? I always enjoyed re-writing notes as a method of studying, is that even comprehensible in nonclinical years?

I'm a first-year. This was how I studied in undergrad as well, but it wasn't efficient enough to really work for me in med school, so now I mostly type. I do use my spiral notebooks for studying, re-drawing things that I'm still making sense out of, and doing practice questions.

 

[Dr.Jekyll75]

On a serious note, anyone recommend to study along side supplemental books for board exams while in the first two years ?

 

[JimmyB123]

X5!!!!

I draw things out a lot and helps much more than typing and even wrote things down for pharmacology (undergrad) to help my memory.

I will say I enjoy the OneNote on the iPad.

OneNote hmm? Do you use apple products? I currently do and have been going back and forth between using OneNote and Notability. Do you have any opinions on using one over the other?

 

[Bea5T]

Espresso machine >>>> Keurig


That's more > then MD vs DO btw.

aeropress>> all. And its only 25-30$

 

[xBODOMx]

On a more serious note, what are people with families (i.e. lots of crap) doing for long distance moves? uHaul was at least 1300$ 🙁

 

[cabinbuilder]

On a more serious note, what are people with families (i.e. lots of crap) doing for long distance moves? uHaul was at least 1300$ 🙁

Penske is cheaper. Be careful using PODS. I learned that the hard way when my destination wasn't where they deliver so I had to go to their warehouse 3 hours from where I moved to and unload my POD onto a Penske truck and get my stuff to my destination myself.

Cost me $5000 to move from Alaska to medical school. My husband pulled out his retirement and we used credit cards.

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

On a more serious note, what are people with families (i.e. lots of crap) doing for long distance moves? uHaul was at least 1300$ 🙁

Budget is also cheaper.

I did some rough math and for a 1000 mile drive Uhaul is approximately $500 more expensive than Penske and Budget. The difference between Budget and Penske are roughly +/-$50 each other so you cant go wrong with either one, just go with whichever one is closer to you. For a 1000 mile haul I think Budget or Penske ends up being like $1300? If you are under 700 miles then Budget wins by a landslide because if its under like 679 miles (or something like that) then you dont have to pay per mile which is a huge bonus.

Personally I am going with budget. I did Uhaul 2 years ago for a 1000 mile trip and it cost me an arm and a leg.

 

[MarshMedic]

Off topic a bit, but as mentioned above for taking notes in class in med school is it feasible to use spiral bounds/etc? My UG banned using computers in class and ever since high school I've used a spiral bound and folder for each class. I suppose I should get with the times, but old habbits...

 

[Awesome Sauceome]

For all of you considering the spiral/handwritten note thing, it may interest you to check out one of the threads I started. There is some good discussion happening there.
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/surface-pro-3-vs-macbook-for-med-school.1123009/

Keep in mind that the Macbook prices are very likely to drop in June/July.

Also keep in mind that the Surface pro 4 is rumored to come out in July and apparently there will be a 14 inch version which turns it into a real contender.

Also also keep in mind (lolz) that windows 10 is coming out in October and is supposedly dramatically better and easier to use than windows 8.

@kafratta , @Azmah , @AlteredScale , @AM508 , @exacto , @Desired Member , @MedNation907

 

[cabinbuilder]

Off topic a bit, but as mentioned above for taking notes in class in med school is it feasible to use spiral bounds/etc? My UG banned using computers in class and ever since high school I've used a spiral bound and folder for each class. I suppose I should get with the times, but old habbits...

I just printed the powerpoints and wrote my notes on those.