Did you just get into a medical school but are clueless about things to buy for medical school beforehand? Firstly, congratulations! Secondly, do not worry, we got you covered. This post talks about some of the most important Medical School Supplies that you need to get before starting school. Keep reading!
Top 10 Must-Have Medical School Supplies
1. Laptop
The laptop is hands down the most important investment especially if you are entering medical school, this is why it stands at first on the list of things to buy for medical school. Prepare yourself for hours of studying and working on your laptop, hence make sure you buy a good, reliable laptop.
Throughout your journey in medical school, you will be required to bring your laptop to several classes that indulge in interactive learning sessions. They can also be beneficial to make notes if need be, or search for something real quick on Google.
Moreover, since we have now entered the digital system, the majority of medical schools now require students to have iPads or laptops as they have replaced actual textbooks with ebooks, online lectures, and videos.
If you are thinking of investing in a good laptop, You can purchase a new MacBook or 13’ MacBook Pro M1 Chipset. I can personally guarantee that it will be a lifesaver for your entire medical school journey. I have used a MacBook Pro for the past 4 years and it stills works great for me.
Recommended Laptops for Medical Students In Low Budget:
If you are low on budget, I have shortlisted some well-performing laptops ideal for medical students, You can consider one of these:
HP 15 Laptop: Shortlisted HP 15 because it is lightweight easy to carry and HP laptops are really reliable in the long run. There is literally little to no maintenance cost involved for years to come.
ASUS VivoBook Flip 14 Thin: If you want some style and convenience of touch screen in your budget then ASUS VIvobook is for you. Comes with windows 10 and the cost is under $500. I do recommend a RAM upgrade from 4 GB to 8 GB in this though.
HP Pavilion 15.6″FHD: This beast laptop is under a $600 budget and a really great option for you. You get a full HD display, 16 GB RAM and 512 GB SSD hard drive. This config is more than enough for a great user experience in medical school.
What to look for when buying a laptop
- Plenty of hard disk and storage to store your lectures, notes, and videos.
- A high quality screen. Preferably one that doesn’t strain your eyes.
- Comfortable and portable so you can carry it around the campus.
2. Stethoscope
Another option on the list of things to buy for medical school is a stethoscope. Most medical schools provide stethoscopes, but to be on the safe side, buy your own personal stethoscope.
The best one out there is the Littmann Cardiology III. not only is it a great investment but is as easy on the pocket. Since you will be using a stethoscope very often i.e., putting one end on your ear while the other on the patient’s chest or back, make sure that you get a good quality one.
Moreover, since you will take this stethoscope with you even after graduation, make sure to get it engraved with your name or initials. This not only adds a classy look but also prevents any chances of theft or losing it.
What to look for when buying a stethoscope
- Sound quality;
- Airtightness;
- Durability;
- Tunable chest piece;
- Flexible diaphragm;
3. A Back-pack
As we presume back to the physical studies from online studies, likewise the list of things to buy for medical school changes too. Another great investment could be a good quality carry bag.
You no longer want to sit at home and avoid lectures; it will only make you set behind. Taking care of all your things and eliminating the chance of theft or losing your personal belongings is not something you would want as your bag contains pretty expensive medical stuff, such as your stethoscope or laptop.
What to look for when buying a Backpack
- Weight: make sure your bag can carry the weight of heavy accessories, such as a laptop.
- Durability: you do not want to spend on a new bag every other month, hence make sure it is durable.
- Capacity: medical studies means a lot of big fat books. Hence, make sure to check the capacity and buy a spacious bag.
4. Scrubs
Who said there can’t be any cool items on the list of things to buy for medical school? One such option is to scrub!
The best part of scrubs is that they can be customized in whatever manner you like and can even have your name printed or embroidered on them. Although some medical schools have their own personalized scrubs, if you are in good luck and have the option of customization, be creative.
Scrubs are mainly for hygiene purposes. Since they are a special hospital or medical school attire, you can’t wear them outside somewhere, this likewise eliminates the chances of germ transmission.
You can easily buy a quality scrub on amazon.
What to look for when buying a scrub
- Comfort
- Size: length and fitting
- Color
- Pocket store
- Versatility
5. Noise Cancelling Headphones
Another great investment is another item on the list of things to buy for medical school — Noise Cancelling Headphones. These have some very effective techniques, or in some cases, can be a godsend as it literally eliminates any chances of noise, allowing you to study peacefully.
You obviously won’t go back to your room during break times, hence these headphones can come in handy when you want to study in either a public area or even a library.
What to look for when buying a noise cancelling headphone
- Sound blocking quality
- Battery life
- Material
- Headphone size
- Overall comfort
6. First Aid Book
Not everything on the list of things to buy for medical school has to be related to school necessity. Likewise, buying a first aid book might not be helpful on campus but it can be helpful during the topics that you learn through the first year that can help you retain long term for board exams. Especially when going through the second-year system courses, this first aid book can be really helpful for you. Moreover, you can also skim through microbiology and biochemistry during the first year.
7. Comfy Study Clothes
Well, not to scare you off but with medical studies, you will be pulling study marathon days quite a few times. Hence it is advisable to keep some comfortable clothes on hands such as a pair of a few trousers and crop tops and mind you, you can’t survive a whole day wearing jeans or a shirt.
What Comfortable Clothes To Keep
- A pair of sweatpants
- Loose trousers
- Loose shirts
- Dresses
8. Portable Phone Charger
A portable phone charger always comes in handy. You will have long school hours and a lot of phone consumption by constantly using apps to lookup certain medical stuff and the chances of your battery running out are pretty high. Hence, one of the most important things to have with you at all times at a medical school is a portable phone charger.
You can buy it off Amazon for fairly $12 to $14. Here are a few well-performing portable phone chargers.
- Solar Charger 26800mAh
- 2-Pack Miady 10000mAh Dual USB Portable Charger
- Portable Charger Power Bank 30,800mAh LCD Display,25W PD Fast Charging
- Anker PowerCore 26800 Portable Charger
9. Comfortable Reading Chair and Desk
This is another top medical school essential. As a medical student, you will be spending a lot of your time sitting and studying, hence a comfortable table and chair is a good investment. Even if your school provides one, what’s the guarantee that it is comfortable?
Factors That Decide Whether A Chair Is Comfortable Or Not
- Seat height
- Seat tilt
- Armrests
- Adjustable or not
10. Personal Protective Gear
Although all medical schools provide protective gear, it is still essential to carry your own box. You will be going on several rounds around the hospital this means a lot of interaction with germs. Hence to be on the safer side, always carry a box of personal protective gear such as masks, gloves, and sanitizer.
What You Don’t Need
Starting a medical school means a new journey and like any other human, you probably are excited too. However, this doesn’t call for extra expenses for hoarding things that you do not need.
With a good pair of scrubs and other hospital essentials, you don’t really have to invest in anything else; you can easily survive medical school with the main basics only. So don’t let social media fool you into buying these products!
- Too many textbooks: everything is now digitized. You will easily get pdf versions of your textbooks.
- Tendon hammers: you can get them in a clinic, do not need to buy them separately.
- Blood pressure kit: you can get it in a clinic, do not need to buy it separately.
Leads to Buy
Although there are several super stores where you can grab medical school supplies & essentials, however, because of COVID-19, we recommend you buy them off Amazon or any other online platform. Amazon ensures safe delivery and good quality at reasonable prices.
Moreover, if you have any social media groups of previous medical students who have graduated, you can find pretty good deals there too.
Don’t Spend Too Much
Save as many expenses as you can for future medical school needs. Do not let your excitement get control over you. Here’s how you can save money on medical school supplies:
- The most expensive does not mean the best. You can get good quality at lower prices as well.
- There’s nothing wrong with buying used medical equipment as long as they are working well.
- Don’t buy an apartment, rent a fully furnished one with basic essentials.
Gift Options For Someone Starting Med School
Although you can totally get anything from the list mentioned above, here are some extra options for gifts for someone starting their medical school:
- Medical themed journal
- Coffee gift packs
- Medical Journal Subscriptions
- Amazon Gift Cards
- Digital Highlighters
- A Med School Survival Guide