Laptop Requirements

All UTRGV School of Medicine students are required to own a laptop computer with WiFi capability. If you plan on using your current laptop, make sure it meets the requirements outlined below. If you have further questions, feel free to contact us at som-it@utrgv.edu.

Laptop Specifications
Laptops must meet the system requirements outlined below. The laptop must be less than two years old to ensure that it will be functional throughout the 4 years of medical school.

Hardware:

• Hard drive: 256SSD (minimum)
• Memory: 16GB (minimum)
• Processor: i7 series, 2.6 GHz Quad Core (minimum)
• Screen resolution: 1024 x 768 (minimum)
• Screen size: 13” minimum
• Ethernet: built-in or with adapter
• Wireless: Wireless 802.11g
• Built-in keyboard
• Webcam and Microphone

Software:

• Operating system: Windows 10 Professional (minimum) or MacOS v12.x (minimum)
• Microsoft Office: Office365; please note that Office365 applications are available at no cost to UTRGV students.
• Latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader

Either Windows-compatible or Apple computers running MacOS are appropriate for use at the School of Medicine. Netbooks, tablets, and Chromebooks do not meet minimum requirements. 

The HiED Tech Store allows UTRGV students, faculty, and staff to take advantage of academic discounts on computer equipment, software, accessories, computer repair, and trade-in and warranty services for most computer brands. Learn more: Get Academic Discounts on Tech Products for Personal Use.

Laptop Certification
During orientation students must present their laptops to School of Medicine IT staff for review. If equipment does not meet the requirements, students will be directed to purchase a new laptop. SOM IT staff are available to certify your laptop Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. in EMEBL 2.113.

Recommended Accessories
A 1TB or external drive is recommended for personal file storage– especially if your laptop’s hard drive is smaller than 1TB. Backups of your key documents, data, and operating system are critical in case of laptop failure or loss. Additionally, Microsoft OneDrive is available for file storage from UTRGV via Office 365.

A large external display (19″ or larger) for home can be helpful when viewing virtual slides as well as opening multiple documents simultaneously.

Having a printer at home is helpful for many students. However, the School of Medicine Libraries offers credit-based printing services for students. Printing from a personal laptop is available on-campus via the Mobility Print application. For more information, visit: https://www.utrgv.edu/medlibrary/services/print-copy-scan/

Which software should I buy?
Your initial software expense should be minimal. UTRGV offers enrolled students a variety of free or discounted software packages including Microsoft Windows and Office Software. For more information, visit: IT Support Center vSoftware page.

You will need software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Adobe PDF to view files distributed by faculty and posted to Blackboard. Software bundled with Apple computers (Pages, Numbers, Keynote) is adequate.

For note-taking, students will often use Microsoft OneNote (free UTRGV Office365 app).