Computer Requirements

All physician assistant students will be required to own a laptop computer and bring it to class on a regular basis.

Mississippi College does not endorse a specific operating system or computer brand. The computer requirement focuses on function and open standards. The following capabilities are required at a minimum:

Hardware

• Modern, network-aware operating system
  • Windows XP or above, Mac OSX 10.4 or above
• WiFi Wireless network capability
  • 802.11g is strongly recommended
• Display resolution at least 1024x768 pixels
• Sound capable with headphone jack
• At least one USB port
• CD read/write/DVD read media drive
  • Full DVD read/write is recommended
• Long life battery*
• Printer**

Software

• Malware protection
  • Current, fully-patched operating system
  • Anti-virus software installed and up to date
  • Anti-spyware software installed and up to date
• Modern, standards-compliant Web browser
  • Firefox, Mozilla, Netscape, Opera, and Safari are good choices.
• Standards-based email client
  • Must be capable of accessing campus email.
  • Some students may wish to use the campus email exclusively.
• Standard "run time" environment for Java programs
• Software to read/write Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint formats
• Ability to read PDF files

* Laptop batteries have a limited life span. It is very common for students to experience less than one hour battery life. This is a sign that the battery is old and should be replaced. Given the length of the school day, we strongly encourage students to replace old, failing batteries; and invest in a second spare battery. The Lithium ion (LiON) battery type is preferred.

** Printers should be able to produce large numbers of copies at a low price.