New Vet Student Help - which phone(s) are best for studying Veterinary Medicine?
Hello and welcome!
This is my first thread on TSR so please accept my sincerest apologies if I make any newbie errors in this thread
Essentially, I am about to start the veterinary medicine course at Liverpool this September and in light of this I'm making some preparations before I start. One item on my list is making sure that I have a phone that can assist me with my studies on the course.
My phone contract runs out in 3 weeks, and therefore I am looking to upgrade the phone (with Orange/EE) OR go elsewhere and get a new contract. At the moment I have a very simple phone - no camera, no internet, just able to make texts and calls (oh and no games either, boring right?) So since the contract will cease to exist in the near future, I'm trying to hunt down a phone (and contract) that can fulfill some of my intentions for the next 5 years:
Firstly, I am looking for a phone that has fantastic access to the internet, just in case I'd like to make a quick and easy search of something on the internet when I'm in a lecture, or on an EMS placement, or out and about in a cafe for instance. There have been many times on work exp. placements where I've wanted to read about something there and then, but forget to do the research at home later that day. Instant access would be super.
Secondly, it would also be great if the phone has useful apps and tools that I could use to help me with my studying. What kind of things did you use/see on your phone or someone else's phone that helped you out?
Last but not least (I promise, long post I know!), the battery life. I'm aware that there are smart phones out there that have a very short battery life despite being able to do so many great things. It's one thing that would be ideal to avoid but it's not essential on the list.
So, which phone(s) are best for studying Veterinary Medicine? If you could go back to the start of the course and choose a better phone, which phone would you pick?
I would sincerely appreciate any amount of your help, recommendations, or pointers in the right direction. If you can advise me on anything else that I should look out for when buying a phone for the course then that too would also be very much welcomed
Thank you for reading my post, hope you're having a fantastic day
Chris
This is my first thread on TSR so please accept my sincerest apologies if I make any newbie errors in this thread
Essentially, I am about to start the veterinary medicine course at Liverpool this September and in light of this I'm making some preparations before I start. One item on my list is making sure that I have a phone that can assist me with my studies on the course.
My phone contract runs out in 3 weeks, and therefore I am looking to upgrade the phone (with Orange/EE) OR go elsewhere and get a new contract. At the moment I have a very simple phone - no camera, no internet, just able to make texts and calls (oh and no games either, boring right?) So since the contract will cease to exist in the near future, I'm trying to hunt down a phone (and contract) that can fulfill some of my intentions for the next 5 years:
Firstly, I am looking for a phone that has fantastic access to the internet, just in case I'd like to make a quick and easy search of something on the internet when I'm in a lecture, or on an EMS placement, or out and about in a cafe for instance. There have been many times on work exp. placements where I've wanted to read about something there and then, but forget to do the research at home later that day. Instant access would be super.
Secondly, it would also be great if the phone has useful apps and tools that I could use to help me with my studying. What kind of things did you use/see on your phone or someone else's phone that helped you out?
Last but not least (I promise, long post I know!), the battery life. I'm aware that there are smart phones out there that have a very short battery life despite being able to do so many great things. It's one thing that would be ideal to avoid but it's not essential on the list.
So, which phone(s) are best for studying Veterinary Medicine? If you could go back to the start of the course and choose a better phone, which phone would you pick?
I would sincerely appreciate any amount of your help, recommendations, or pointers in the right direction. If you can advise me on anything else that I should look out for when buying a phone for the course then that too would also be very much welcomed
Thank you for reading my post, hope you're having a fantastic day
Chris
Original post by Chris.McKay
Hello and welcome!
This is my first thread on TSR so please accept my sincerest apologies if I make any newbie errors in this thread
Essentially, I am about to start the veterinary medicine course at Liverpool this September and in light of this I'm making some preparations before I start. One item on my list is making sure that I have a phone that can assist me with my studies on the course.
My phone contract runs out in 3 weeks, and therefore I am looking to upgrade the phone (with Orange/EE) OR go elsewhere and get a new contract. At the moment I have a very simple phone - no camera, no internet, just able to make texts and calls (oh and no games either, boring right?) So since the contract will cease to exist in the near future, I'm trying to hunt down a phone (and contract) that can fulfill some of my intentions for the next 5 years:
Firstly, I am looking for a phone that has fantastic access to the internet, just in case I'd like to make a quick and easy search of something on the internet when I'm in a lecture, or on an EMS placement, or out and about in a cafe for instance. There have been many times on work exp. placements where I've wanted to read about something there and then, but forget to do the research at home later that day. Instant access would be super.
Secondly, it would also be great if the phone has useful apps and tools that I could use to help me with my studying. What kind of things did you use/see on your phone or someone else's phone that helped you out?
Last but not least (I promise, long post I know!), the battery life. I'm aware that there are smart phones out there that have a very short battery life despite being able to do so many great things. It's one thing that would be ideal to avoid but it's not essential on the list.
So, which phone(s) are best for studying Veterinary Medicine? If you could go back to the start of the course and choose a better phone, which phone would you pick?
I would sincerely appreciate any amount of your help, recommendations, or pointers in the right direction. If you can advise me on anything else that I should look out for when buying a phone for the course then that too would also be very much welcomed
Thank you for reading my post, hope you're having a fantastic day
Chris
This is my first thread on TSR so please accept my sincerest apologies if I make any newbie errors in this thread
Essentially, I am about to start the veterinary medicine course at Liverpool this September and in light of this I'm making some preparations before I start. One item on my list is making sure that I have a phone that can assist me with my studies on the course.
My phone contract runs out in 3 weeks, and therefore I am looking to upgrade the phone (with Orange/EE) OR go elsewhere and get a new contract. At the moment I have a very simple phone - no camera, no internet, just able to make texts and calls (oh and no games either, boring right?) So since the contract will cease to exist in the near future, I'm trying to hunt down a phone (and contract) that can fulfill some of my intentions for the next 5 years:
Firstly, I am looking for a phone that has fantastic access to the internet, just in case I'd like to make a quick and easy search of something on the internet when I'm in a lecture, or on an EMS placement, or out and about in a cafe for instance. There have been many times on work exp. placements where I've wanted to read about something there and then, but forget to do the research at home later that day. Instant access would be super.
Secondly, it would also be great if the phone has useful apps and tools that I could use to help me with my studying. What kind of things did you use/see on your phone or someone else's phone that helped you out?
Last but not least (I promise, long post I know!), the battery life. I'm aware that there are smart phones out there that have a very short battery life despite being able to do so many great things. It's one thing that would be ideal to avoid but it's not essential on the list.
So, which phone(s) are best for studying Veterinary Medicine? If you could go back to the start of the course and choose a better phone, which phone would you pick?
I would sincerely appreciate any amount of your help, recommendations, or pointers in the right direction. If you can advise me on anything else that I should look out for when buying a phone for the course then that too would also be very much welcomed
Thank you for reading my post, hope you're having a fantastic day
Chris
Hello Chris,
I think what you really need to consider is the Mobile Network, not the mobile phone itself. When you are on your AHEMS, you will be away from major cities for the majority of your time, and that means you might have difficulties catching signal depending on which network you are on. Personally, I am doing most of my AHEMS near London, so Giffgaff has worked out to be the cheapest, but if you wish to upgrade your phone, look at different promotions that's out there at the moment.
In terms of the gadget itself, I am using an iPhone 4. It's not as fancy as iPhone 5 or one of those super-latest smartphones, but it can browse quickly (the google app is remarkably useful, actually), install most of the apps I need (anything from flashlight to national raiway and snapchat), and connect to my school email quickly (VERY important for me). To be honest, smartphone hasn't helped me very much in terms of learning, but it comes handy when you need to quickly google something during a lecture. It's also handy when you need to take pictures of dissection samples or feeds and etc.
Congrats on getting a place at Liverpool - if you need to know anything about the course/city etc. let me know and I'll try to answer you questions in any way I can. I am sure you will love it here, best vet school ever 
If I am honest, I doubt many phones will last you 5 years. Although the old style phones last forever, the smart phones I've had, have lasted no more than 2-3 years. I'm personally on a £10/month O2 SIM only contact, but I pay for my hand set (my current one is a Nokia Lumia 700 which was £120).
You've not mentioned how much you want to pay for a contract - this could perhaps influence your decision. Also, phone coverage may vary depending on location so might be worth looking into. Most modern smart phones will be able to access internet and email fine. Also, how often are you going to phone home/friends? You need to look into the amounts of minutes etc. As for how much internet, I only have 500Mb and if you don't watch online videos, and only use it for some web browsing every so often, checking FB a few times a day & uni emails you'll be fine. Otherwise you might need a bigger data plan.
As for apps, iPhones have the most, followed by Android phones and then Windows. On iPhones you can access your timetable easier with a Uni app and announcements (you can on other phones too - but it takes longer and is more long winded). I personally can't afford an iPhone contract, so just check my timetable the day before to make sure I know where I need to be. If I'd have the money to get either the current or an older version of iPhone, I would as they seem amazing, but at the minute I don't think that would be money well spent for me. I don't have any apps at all that are useful for my learning, and can't imagine a phone would help me with this.
Also, just to mention, I don't think it is useful to have internet during lectures. Firstly, some lecturers hate this and will ask you to leave if they see you looking at your phone. Secondly, you won't have time to be googling stuff AND listening to lecturers. Most people just use their phones during lectures to check Facebook - no wonder some lecturers hate them!
You aren't allowed to take photos during dissections or other material at Liverpool, so won't be useful there. On placements, if your phone doesn't take good pictures, it's not a big issue to be taking a small camera in your pocket too, but I agree a phone camera is easier to use and more ready to hand!
One thing I'd mention is the fact that, on placements, you are going to get stuck in, and your phone might be dropped / get wet if your pocket gets wet / covered in fine bits of hay and dirt... so either take out insurance if you're getting an expensive iPhone etc. or get a cheaper phone that you accept may get a bit of damage.
As for which phone to choose, the preference is up to you. There isn't a specific phone that is better for vets than any other students. The Carphone Warehouse have always been helpful in letting me try phones or comparing contracts.
If I am honest, I doubt many phones will last you 5 years. Although the old style phones last forever, the smart phones I've had, have lasted no more than 2-3 years. I'm personally on a £10/month O2 SIM only contact, but I pay for my hand set (my current one is a Nokia Lumia 700 which was £120).
You've not mentioned how much you want to pay for a contract - this could perhaps influence your decision. Also, phone coverage may vary depending on location so might be worth looking into. Most modern smart phones will be able to access internet and email fine. Also, how often are you going to phone home/friends? You need to look into the amounts of minutes etc. As for how much internet, I only have 500Mb and if you don't watch online videos, and only use it for some web browsing every so often, checking FB a few times a day & uni emails you'll be fine. Otherwise you might need a bigger data plan.
As for apps, iPhones have the most, followed by Android phones and then Windows. On iPhones you can access your timetable easier with a Uni app and announcements (you can on other phones too - but it takes longer and is more long winded). I personally can't afford an iPhone contract, so just check my timetable the day before to make sure I know where I need to be. If I'd have the money to get either the current or an older version of iPhone, I would as they seem amazing, but at the minute I don't think that would be money well spent for me. I don't have any apps at all that are useful for my learning, and can't imagine a phone would help me with this.
Also, just to mention, I don't think it is useful to have internet during lectures. Firstly, some lecturers hate this and will ask you to leave if they see you looking at your phone. Secondly, you won't have time to be googling stuff AND listening to lecturers. Most people just use their phones during lectures to check Facebook - no wonder some lecturers hate them!
You aren't allowed to take photos during dissections or other material at Liverpool, so won't be useful there. On placements, if your phone doesn't take good pictures, it's not a big issue to be taking a small camera in your pocket too, but I agree a phone camera is easier to use and more ready to hand!
One thing I'd mention is the fact that, on placements, you are going to get stuck in, and your phone might be dropped / get wet if your pocket gets wet / covered in fine bits of hay and dirt... so either take out insurance if you're getting an expensive iPhone etc. or get a cheaper phone that you accept may get a bit of damage.
As for which phone to choose, the preference is up to you. There isn't a specific phone that is better for vets than any other students. The Carphone Warehouse have always been helpful in letting me try phones or comparing contracts.
iPhone all the way! Possibly because I use it as a sat nav to get to all my placements lol I don't really carry it with me when I'm working at placements tho as I'm scared about damaging it/dropping it in poo/losing it on a field etc. I'm fine with that tho. Might be different for you.
Learning wise, it's not essential unless you're a fan of making flashcards to revise on your phone or read the MRCVS news app. It serves more as a procrastination tool to be honest haha.
You can check your timetable with an app, look at all your lectures on the BB app, renew library books if you're on the go, and e-mail. I'm sure other phones do similar/same stuff but I just find the iPhone very reliable compared to anything else.
Price wise I pay £26 a month, 1GB of data, unlimited calls and text but had to pay £250 for the handset. And it's a 2 year contract.
Hope that helps
Posted from TSR Mobile
Learning wise, it's not essential unless you're a fan of making flashcards to revise on your phone or read the MRCVS news app. It serves more as a procrastination tool to be honest haha.
You can check your timetable with an app, look at all your lectures on the BB app, renew library books if you're on the go, and e-mail. I'm sure other phones do similar/same stuff but I just find the iPhone very reliable compared to anything else.
Price wise I pay £26 a month, 1GB of data, unlimited calls and text but had to pay £250 for the handset. And it's a 2 year contract.
Hope that helps
Posted from TSR Mobile
Original post by Chris.McKay
x
You sound like you want a phone more for amazing internet than anything else. Therefore I'd get a basic phone and contract, especially as everyone loses/manages to damage their phone e.g. my boyfriend got his smashed in by a calf. It's just not worth it. My phone contract with O2 is £11/month. I get unlimited texts, unlimited 02 calls (my family and boyfriend are on this network) and 300 landline minutes (to phone my nana/whatever), which pretty much suits me. I don't use my phone really for the internet... although you could add a basic phone internet for £5/month.
I'd get a tablet-I have the nexus 7 and it sounds perfect for what you want. If you were remote e.g. a farm you could even hook it up to your phone internet. Its more practical for apps and reading off and its amazing use for uni and also taking notes in lectures and generically checking the internet. It's also more likely to last a lot longer than a mobile as you're more likely to take more care of it/not lose it. Just my opinion for what I do at liverpool.
Original post by Chris.McKay
x
Let me add phones would be an excessive cost for a decent one e.g. an iphone which is grossly overpriced by my reckoning. Tablets have wifi connection anywhere- the university has campus wide free wifi so all lecture theatres etc so you wouldn't be paying extra for internet, you'd obviously already have internet at home and most cafes and places now also have free wifi. Your tablet will be a one off cost, a phone is an excessive cost and I think the tablet would suit you much better. A phone is much more likely to get damaged/stolen/ especially nights out. The nexus also has a front facing semi decent camera if you did need photos. Although like silverstar said, it's not allowed and there's really no need to as theres a lot of interactive photos put online for most modules.
I use my tablet a lot in lectures to elaborate. You can also get the blackboard and have access to all the lectures in one place and have your timetable on there too. Sold it yet? Screw lecturers if it helps you. I personally like having the internet in lectures, although I generally just download and annotate the lecture.
(edited 10 years ago)
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