Medical School Computer Requirements

Requesting information on a laptop for medical school

I will be attending USD's medical school in July and will need to purchase a computer

Will my laptop meet the requirements for the Sanford School of Medicine (SSOM)?

What are the computer system requirements for med school? 

Minimum System Requirements for Med School Testing Platforms (reviewed 7/15/2026)

All Laptops

• 1GHz processor or higher
• 4GB of usable RAM or higher
• 4GB or higher of available storage space
• Minimum screen resolution of 1280x768 with a 32-bit color setting and scaling set to 100%
• 13” screen or larger
• Both wired and wireless network connection capability
• Administrator-level account permissions
• English (United States) Language
• Virtual machines and applications are not allowed
• Only genuine versions of Windows or Mac Operating Systems are supported
• Current, or one previous version of Safari, Chrome, Firefox, or Edge

Windows Systems

• x86 or ARM CPU Processor
• ARM Processors are only supported on Windows 11 24H2 and higher
• 64-bit version of Windows 11 (23H2, 24H2, or 25H2)
• Windows 11 S mode is not compatible
• ASUS Laptops with touchpad/touchscreen are not allowed
• For support, a working USB port, flash drive and account passwords, including BitLocker keys may be required

Mac Systems

• Intel or M series processor
• Mac OS v14, v15, or v16 (Sonoma, Sequoia, or Tahoe)
• Server version of Mac OS X is not supported
• For support, a working USB port, flash drive and account passwords may be required

If you need further assistance, please contact the Service Desk