Medical Student Computer Requirement for Fall 2012

Overview of Computer Requirement

The UCSD School of Medicine (SOM) expects all incoming Medical Students to have a laptop (or notebook) computer with wireless access, a printer, and internet access.  It will be used for information access, instructional applications, and official communications - in class and at home.

UCSD does not require a specific brand of laptop computers.  However, students must pay attention to the requirements provided in order for their computer to be of sufficient processing power and resolution to meet their academic needs.  A range of laptop computer configurations (described as Minimal to Optimal) are acceptable.  Both Apple and PC computers are acceptable.
 

• Minimum Configuration: This is the least expensive configuration that will meet the school's requirements. It may need some upgrading after a few years.  If you already have a computer that meets or exceeds this minimum, it will be adequate to begin medical school.
   
• Optimum Configuration: This configuration more than meets the school's requirements and has capabilities that will be useful while at medical school. If you can afford to purchase a computer with this configuration or better, it should serve your needs throughout medical school.

The Office of Educational Computing is available to answer questions about these recommendations and show you how to configure your laptop computers for connection to the UCSD wireless network.

Apple LAPTOP Configurations

SOFTWARE for Apple Computers

			Description	Comments
OS Application			OS X 10.6.8 (Snow Leopard) or above
General Productivity			Microsoft Office 2011 for OS X  (Non-student version - recommended if you want to use Outlook)	Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Presentation, etc. Check the UCSD Bookstore Computer Center for academic prices.
Email			WebMail provided free by MedEd	Students can also use MacMail, Entourage (Web Services Edition), or other email client packages that support Microsoft Exchange.
Web Browser			Firefox 13.0, Safari 5.0, Chrome 20.0	We recommend that students have two web browsers installed. One for student webmail and routine internet browsing and the other for remote library access.
Anti-Virus			Sophos Anti-Virus for MAC Home Edition	Free antiviral software and strongly recommended as primary anti-virus strategy. http://www.sophos.com/products/free-tools/free-mac-anti-virus/
Anti-Spyware			MacScan	Designed to detect, isolate, and remove Spyware, Trojans, etc. Available for purchase online at ~$25.00 http://macscan.securemac.com
Firewall			Required by UCSD	Incorporated into Mac OS X - must be enabled.
Plug-ins			Adobe Acrobat Reader , Adobe Flash Player  , Real Player , QuickTime	Free applications available for download.
File Compression / Decompression			Stuffit	Included in Mac OS X.
Reference Management			RefWorks	Provided free by UCSD Libraries. For more information, see: http://biomed.ucsd.edu/refworks.htm . If a more robust application is required, consider purchasing EndNote .
Curricular Calendar Synchronization			Using your mobile device	Students should consider purchasing a mobile device to enable individualized calendar synchronization with your curricular calendar inside the Medical Education Web Portal. Check the UCSD Bookstore Computer Center for academic prices.

PC LAPTOP Configurations (Including tablet PCs)

SOFTWARE for PC Computers

	Description	Comments
General Productivity	Microsoft Office 2010 Professional (Non-Home or Non-Student Edition - recommended if you want to use Outlook)	Word Processing, Spreadsheet, Presentation, etc. Check the UCSD Bookstore Computer Center for academic prices.
Email	WebMail provided free by MedEd	Students can also use Outlook (see above) or other email client packages that support Microsoft Exchange.
Web Browser	FireFox 13.0, Internet Explorer 8.0/9.0, Safari 5.0, Chrome 20.0	We recommend that students have two web browsers installed.  IE is strongly recommended for student webmail.  Firefox or Safari can be used for remote library access and routine internet browsing.
Anti-Virus and Anti-Spyware	Microsoft Security Essentials	http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/
Firewall	Required by UCSD	Incorporated into Windows XP - must be enabled.
Plug-ins	Adobe Acrobat Reader , Adobe Flash Player, Real Player , QuickTime , Windows Media Player	Free applications available for download.
File Compression / Decompression	Built into Windows	File Compression/Decompression included in Windows XP, Vista, 7
Reference Management	RefWorks	Provided free by UCSD Libraries. For more information, see: http://biomed.ucsd.edu/refworks.htm . If a more robust application is required, consider purchasing EndNote .
Curricular Calendar Synchronization	Using your mobile device	Students should consider purchasing a mobile device to enable individualized calendar synchronization with your curricular calendar inside the Medical Education Web Portal. Check the UCSD Bookstore Computer Center for academic prices.

Peripheral Devices

Internet Access

	Campus Housing	Off-Campus Housing
Connection Method	Ethernet via a wired/wireless Network Interface Card (NIC). (Not supplied by UCSD)	Cable modem –DSL
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	UCSD ResNet (Cost included in housing fees)	High Speed Services Cox High Speed Internet SBC High Speed DSL Time Warner Road Runner Various ISP's in your area
Note: Remote access to UCSD Library resources (including the electronic reserve system used in the core curriculum) requires that users be authenticated as official UCSD students, faculty, or staff. Use of UCSD's ResNet or UCSD's Academic Computing Services automatically authenticates the user. If you select a non-UCSD entity as your ISP, a free VPN account must also be established in order to enable library access.

Computer Requirements FAQ

My current laptop computer is close to (but does not exactly meet) the minimum standards. Do I have to buy a new one?

You can begin school with your current laptop computer and see if it is adequate to meet your needs. If access to and display of complex media (such as images or video) are a problem, you may need to rethink purchase of a new system.

Should I buy a PC or Apple computer?

Both platforms are supported by the UCSD Division of Medical Education.

Where should I purchase my computer?

The UCSD Bookstore Computer Center offers a large selection of computers that meet the recommendations provided in this website. There are also "special promotions" aimed at our students.
Why Buy a Computer From the UCSD Bookstore

Where should I get my computer repaired?

UCSD Bookstore Computer Repair