The Student Room Group

What to get as a Med Student?

Is it better to get an IPad pro with pencil & keyboard to help with edits & notes or a laptop for lectures and on the go work? I have a desktop computer which i'll probs be using at halls, so i'm just wondering whats most cost efficient to get.

Also, I heard universities like leicester and st Georges offer free ipads to first years, are there any others that do the same?
Reply 1
When I went to Leicester for my interview one of the current first year med students said they give them out.
Im not against writing with pen and paper, I did all my notes for a level on paper, but im just seeing it the norm now with most students taking in laptops or so into lectures. Also, i think it will be a bit easier to make notes since you can print screen off lecture slides since all lectures are recorded.
Pen and paper for lectures and on the wards. Gadgets are too distracting. Cornell method is a very good method of note taking.

Cheap laptop for clinical years to use on placement.
I agree, pen and paper in lectures. Keeps you awake and personally I find writing it engages my brain at least 50% more than typing which is a very zoned out thing to do (for me anyway). Also I find other people's laptop screens in lectures annoying, especially if they're just watching TV or something... to be honest pen and paper on the wards too. It's useful to get used to documenting things well with pen and paper if you end up in a trust that still uses physical notes, as that will be your life in any case. Then get a cheap laptop for clinical placements, if you want to bring a desktop computer now.

Probably it depends on the person but I went to all my lectures in person and got super pissed when they started pre-recording things for us and telling us to watch them. If there is anything more passive than sitting in a lecture theatre being spoken at, it's sitting in your own room watching videos of people speaking at other people. I didn't find it very helpful for learning and staying engaged, I got distracted all the time! Endless cups of tea and clicking into other tabs instead of paying attention. Equally printing off lecture slides =/= acquiring the information. I dunno, sometimes the burden of lectures is very high at medical school and for me I felt like I needed to employ methods just to keep my brain engaged.
IPad for lecture notes.

Notebook (small) for wards to look up things later.

And Oxford hand book.

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Reply 5
Original post by Newtothis83
IPad for lecture notes.

Notebook (small) for wards to look up things later.

And Oxford hand book.

Posted from TSR Mobile

That sounds like a right idea
Original post by Newtothis83
IPad for lecture notes.

Notebook (small) for wards to look up things later.

And Oxford hand book.

Posted from TSR Mobile


Oh and online flash cards. I started out with writing out notes because that's what I saw everyone else doing.

But I realised I am a flash card kind of learner.

Posted from TSR Mobile

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