Technology Requirements

Students are required to have a laptop (PC or Mac) that meets minimum specifications to support learning and evaluation during the program. Students use their laptops for activities that include online testing in the classroom (testing software), and other software and technology products. Tablets are not supported by the ExamSoft testing package (and other select products) being used by the Mercer School of Medicine.

The following are the minimum technology requirements for students at Mercer University School of Medicine.

System Age

Three years old or newer

System Requirements

Windows
Windows 10 or higher

8 GB (or more) RAM

Mac
MAC OS X 11.7 or higher

8 GB (or more) RAM

Hard Drive
At least 256 GB

Display
Screen resolution should be 1280 x 768 or higher

Browser
For the best user experience, the following browsers are preferred:

  • Mozilla Firefox, latest version (Windows and Mac)
  • Google Chrome, latest version (Windows and Mac)
  • Safari, latest version (Mac)

Internet Access
A wired and/or wireless network card is required. The minimum high-speed cable connection is 3 Mbps (i.e., high-speed DSL, cable modem), but a 5 Mbps connection is recommended for quicker load times.

Other
The following software and plug-ins are needed:

  • Adobe Acrobat Reader, latest version — required to view documents in your browser

Additional Information

Please consider that a computer not meeting minimum specifications may have a negative impact on your education. Computers not meeting the required specifications often do not have the necessary features needed to function in our environment. We are unable to provide comprehensive support for computers not meeting our specifications. The Mercer School of Medicine’s IT Team has a small pool of laptops for loaning, but the loaners are not intended to cover long-term needs for any one individual.

Some of our exam applications and learning management systems, such as Examsoft, NBME, and Canvas, will have regular updates throughout the year that may require you to update or upgrade your computer.

When necessary, distance learning and hybrid courses are delivered through Zoom and Canvas. High-speed internet access is required for all distance learning students. Some courses will require that students have access to headphones, speakers, microphones, and/or webcams for use in web conferencing programs, such as Zoom.

Visit the Mercer University Information Technology website for recommended computer and network resources for distance learning.