FROM: College of Medicine and Public Health

SUBJECT: Student Laptop Program 

The Ohio State University College of Medicine and Public Health is committed to preparing our students for the medical, social, technological, and business challenges of the world they will be entering. One of the primary requirements is the appropriate use of medical informatics with the use of e-mail and creation of slide programs to communicate with other members of the healthcare team; ability to use the internet, national databases, and national medical literature storehouses for personal education both during medical school and during practice; and the ability to interact with patient record databases to enhance patient care. As such, Ohio State medical students must possess and be able to use computer and personal digital assistant technology.

E-mail is the primary method for communicating with the College community. In laying the foundation for creating the "24-hour classroom," computer hardware and capability are continually being added and upgraded (including "plug and play" areas and wireless access throughout the student study areas). Academic materials and documentation are provided via the Web. Interactive software, currently accessible by laptops only, is used in auditoria to enhance active learning.

All first year medical students will receive a laptop computer during the first week of class in August. Using the same equipment ensures a quick start-up for the interactive software used in the Med 1 classes, promotes sharing of information between students, and minimizes the time a student devotes to infrastructure issues.

Do not purchase a laptop computer!!  The College of Medicine purchases the Ohio State Laptop Package for entering students. The laptop computer purchase charge will be included on your tuition bill as a separate charge. The Laptop Package has been selected by the College to meet the curricular and student-life needs at the College and is priced 40 percent below the already discounted University purchase price.

The laptop package includes:

- IBM Tablet X41 - (Click here for more inormation)
- 4 Year Thinkpad Protection (Warranty)
- Buckeye Bundle (Microsoft Office Suite)
- TurningPoint (Interactive software for auditorium)
- Carrying case
- Wireless card
- USB key
- Rapid backup
- Windows XP Professional
- McAfee Anti-Virus software

If you already own a laptop, below are the minimum specs for the laptop ownership program. Also our technical staff will provide you with an analysis. If compatible software could be upgraded to the latest version, it will be distributed to the student. Additional charges or software fees may apply. The deadline for compatibility analysis of an existing laptop is July 20, 2006. For more information or answers to questions, contact Paul Becerra at by e-mail at: Paul.becerra@osumc.edu

Minimum Requirements:

- Pentium M 1.70ghz
- 512 MB RAM
- 40 GB Hard Drive
- Microsoft Windows XP professional
- IEEE 802.11 a/b/g Wireless card
- McAfee Anti-Virus software

Hardware and software not recommended or not supported by the College at this time are:
- Linux or any Mac OS
- Norton’s Anti-Virus software or any other vendor’s anti-virus software