Productivity can depend on how you organize your workstation. A review of the best desk for medical students is what you need to choose the right one that fits your style and work preference.
Having a well-organized and personalized workstation could promote concentration, efficiency, motivation, and productivity. Maintaining a good ergonomic design in your study area also prevents the risk of musculoskeletal-related problems.
In this post, I will give you the essential stuff to buy for medical school, examples of desk setups you could imitate, and of course, a list of the best desks for medical students.
Things To Buy For Medical School
Here are 8 things that you should never forget to buy for medical school. All are considered essential and worth your money as they will help you throughout your MD Journey.
1. Books and Resources
When you enter med school, you will face countless examinations that would each require reading of hundreds of pages a day and sleepless nights of comprehension, analysis, and memorization.
There are hundreds of books and useful resources in paper and online to help you review your current regular courses or an intense preparation for Step 1.
Since med school has lots of concepts to recall and memorize, these resources are rich in helpful mnemonics and tools that would assist you in understanding unfamiliar medical concepts and pathways much easier. Check out my top 10 picks on the best USMLE Step 1 book.
2. Laptop
Since we are now shifting to modern academe, a laptop is your essential device to search the web for research, access lecture videos, take down notes, write documents and reports, create PowerPoint presentations, and read reference ebooks in your digital library.
If you are looking for the best laptop in medical school, you may check out this article for reference.
3. Tablet
Aside from laptops, a useful gadget for medical school is a tablet. What sets this apart from a laptop is its portability. Even though its size is less than half of a laptop’s, tablets are handy yet at the same time could perform all functions that your typical laptop could provide. Reading ebooks could be much more convenient and accessible through tablets. I have here the best tablet for medical school that you should never neglect buying. It’s a good investment even if you are already practicing as a doctor.
4. Stethoscope
If you would think of an item that every single doctor must have, then the first thing that pops on everybody’s mind is a stethoscope. In med school, you will be exposed to physical examination practices, patient interactions, and clinical rotations. You need a decent stethoscope to help you distinguish different heart sounds, murmurs, breath sounds, bruits, etc. A quality stethoscope will help you arrive at accurate and correct assessments. Here are some of the best stethoscopes for medical students.
5. Ophthalmoscope
Medical students undergo training on physical examination as part of their professional competencies to develop. One of the frequently used instruments is an ophthalmoscope. This instrument is used to inspect the fundus of the eye for any abnormalities. This would be helpful for your eye assessments especially if you are planning to specialize in ophthalmology. If you are canvassing for quality ophthalmoscopes, you can check my article here.
6. Smartphone
Who doesn’t own a smartphone nowadays? Everyone seems to rely on this little device for the daily tracking of their activities and schedule. This is everyone’s major means of communication either for personal and professional purposes.
It could easily be connected to the Internet so you could browse the web when you need to seek clarification on a particular concept. Smartphones are getting so advanced that you could use it to access your academic resources so you may study anywhere and anytime.
You could install relevant apps which you could use as a medical reference, for studying and for stress-relieving purposes. I suggest the following best apps for medical students that could be helpful all throughout your MD journey.
7. Backpack
To put everything you need in place anytime and anywhere, you need a sturdy backpack with a capacity that’s large enough to fit all your daily med school essentials in one place. You may check out my article on the best backpacks for medical school to guide you on which backpack to buy according to your style, budget, and preference.
8. Desk
Since you will be working for hours and studying for countless sleepless nights, having a desk is a necessity to keep you efficient and productive to accomplish all your tasks. For the rest of the article, I’ll be providing desk setup examples and a review of the best desk for medical students.
Med School Desk Setup
Since you will be spending hours or perhaps an entire day at your desk for most days of the week, you need to have a good desk setup.
All features of your desk – its height, space, cabinets – can affect your overall productivity and health.
Poorly designed desks could result in musculoskeletal problems such as lower back pain. Messy desks, poor lighting, and squeaky chairs – though small details – could keep you distracted and prevent you from finishing tasks.
Here are examples of desk setups from other medical students:
Best Desk For Medical Students
1. Convenience Concept Design2Go
If you only live in a dorm with only a small bedroom to set up a desk, the Convenience Concept is an excellent student desk that suits you. With its petite size, it could fit against a corner of a room or against the wall to save space.
It could easily be assembled with no tools required. Though relatively cheap, you can’t go wrong on its durability. Its stainless-steel poles allow you to carry even your heaviest medical textbook. Its minimalistic design provides a large space to store your school supplies.
Price: $36.23
Pros:
- The working area is wide enough and the sides are designed as shelves for your books and other personal items
- Stainless-steel poles make it durable
- Good for small rooms as it could save up space
- If you worry about style, its minimalistic design can fit almost any interior design.
- Made from high-quality materials, durable to last for years.
- Easy to assemble with no tools required
Cons:
- Tends to wobble if parts are not assembled tightly
You may wish to check this out further in Amazon.
See Reviews On Amazon2. One Space 50-1001MP Stanton
With sleek and elegant design, One Space is considered the best desk for medical students because of its proven durability and affordability.
Though it can accommodate laptops, this desk is perfect for medical students who prefer working on computer desktops for its large space. All materials are lightweight yet highly durable. It is designed with a carbon steel frame, maple MDF, and a pull-out tray to keep your desk decluttered.
Price: $48.62
Pros:
- Its sleek and small design saves up space – perfect for students with small bedrooms
- It’s lightweight but made up of highly durable materials
- Designed with a wide work surface area
- Affordable price
- Built with a pull-out tray for the keyboard and shelves on the side for books and other personal items
Cons:
- Tray is too small for a full-sized keyboard.
You may wish to check this desk on Amazon.
See Reviews On Amazon3. Techni Mobili
You can consider Techni Mobili is the best desk for medical students because it serves as a complete computer workstation desk. It’s highly durable because of its heavy-duty MDF panels, scratch-resistant powder-coated steel frame, and moisture-resistant PVC laminate surface veneers.
It could provide maximum space as there is a slide-out tray for your keyboard, shelves for your books, utility drawers for your other supplies, and 10 slots of CD holders on the sides.
Price: $115.67
Pros:
- Built wide wide surface workstation, shelves with 30-ounce storage capacity, utility drawer, and a pull-out tray for your mouse and keyboard
- Completely durable and sturdy as it could hold a total of 80 pounds of items
- Made up of high-quality materials such as heavy-duty MDF, moisture-resistant PVC, and scratch-resistant powder-coated steel frames.
Cons:
- Can’t be assembled without tools
- The keyboard tray is flimsy.
You may wish to check this desk on Amazon.
4. Origami Study Desk
As the name implies, the Origami desk is a unique foldable computer desk that is portable and functional and perfectly made for students. Assembly is not tedious.
You can easily and unfold it in less than a minute which allows you to carry it with you anywhere. The tabletop is removable so you could easily move it.
Though it is small and the desk of choice for those who want to save space for practical reasons, its work surface is big enough to accommodate a laptop or a computer with extra space to spread out your notes and textbooks for writing and reading.
The bottom has a bookshelf and a compartment for a CPU in case you prefer a desktop computer.
You will not question its durability as it is built with a chip-resistant wooden top and powder-coated steel frame. Its minimalistic black design could fit any room interior design.
Price: $230.99
Pros:
- Most portable desk as it can easily be opened and unfolded within seconds
- Good for students with small bedroom spaces
- Worksurface area has a large space for a laptop or a computer, school supplies, and other materials essential for studying.
- Built with highly durable material
- Versatile design
Cons:
- Top panel easily chips and can be damaged.
You may wish to check this desk on Amazon.
See Reviews On Amazon5. Tangkula Computer Study Desk
If you are looking for a practical and multifunctional desk, Tangkula Computer Study Desk provides what you’ve been searching for. It has a simple and compact design yet proven to be durable and sturdy. Cleaning and assembling are not too much of a hassle.
Its excellent quality makes it to be one of the most sought after desks in the market today. The desk’s workspace is large enough to accommodate a computer desktop or a laptop.
Made up of sturdy and durable materials, the desk is guaranteed to last. The tabletop is wide and perfect to accommodate your computer and laptop. The 4-tier shelves promote more organized compartmentalization and expand its storage capacity.
It doesn’t consume too much space so it’s also good for those students staying in small dorms. Its simple design makes it suitable for any room interior design.
Price: $169.99
Pros:
- Multifunctional, lightweight, compact, and practical
- 4-tier shelves expand storage capacity
- Doesn’t consume too much space makes it perfect for small rooms
- It works for a small room and versatile enough to be converted into a display or utility table in any part of the house.
- Built with sturdy materials that guarantee long-lasting usage
Cons:
- Hard to assemble
- Be careful on fiberglass dust
You may wish to check this desk on Amazon.
6. Monarch Specialities
Monarch Specialties Corner Desk is the best desk for medical students who are looking for a petite desk that could fit even the narrow corners of the room.
It has a spacious tabletop and you can also store a lot of personal items and school supplies in its two medium storage drawers and lateral file drawer. It is built with adjustable shelves so you could place things with varying heights.
It’s L-shaped definitely designed for room corners to save up space. It’s made up of durable wood and veneer white finish.
Price: $365.50
Pros:
- Functional, simple, and stylish
- Good for small spaces as it could fit corners of your room
- The workspace is large enough.
- Storage spaces include two drawers, lateral file drawer, and adjustable shelves
- Designed with thick panels, clean lines, and white finish
Cons:
- Hard to assemble
You may wish to check this desk on Amazon.
7. Prepac Wall Mounted Floating Desk
The ultimate space-saver desk is the Prepac Wall Mounted Floating Desk. Its design is a unique metal hanging rail system that helps in directly and securely mounting it against the wall.
Through a metal hanging rail system, you can adjust the desk according to your preferred height.
It features cable and wires that organize your stuff. It is built with side shelves good for placing speakers, books, devices, and other personal items. Since it is mounted, it can save you a great deal of floor space. The workspace is stable and spacious. It is wide enough to accommodate a laptop and a computer.
Price: $219.99
Pros:
- An ultimate space-saver
- Features the innovative metal hanging rail system that mounts the desk directly and securely onto the wall.
- Worksurface is stable and spacious to accommodate a computer and for writing and reading.
- Top shelf and side compartments provide storage for personal items.
- The cable and wire management keeps the desk organized.
Cons:
- Shelves might be too spacious
- Workspace area is not that wide compared to other desks
You may wish to check this desk on Amazon.
8. Atlantic Space-Saving Gaming Desk
This is the best desk for medical students who also love playing computer games. Yes, medical school may consume most of your time studying. But who says you cannot be both?
Atlantic Space-Saving Gaming Desk has great durability and functionality. It saves space and is built with excellent cable management.
This is the best gaming desk as it could hold more than one computer monitor. If you like working or studying in front of two big screens, then this desk suits you well. If you preferred to install multiple monitors, you could freely customize parts without compromising its stability.
Since having multiple monitors would mean a lot of electric wirings, this desk has a cable management system that ensures all wirings are well-organized. It’s ready to assemble. This is an excellent quality desk that you can purchase at an affordable price.
Price: $125.14
Pros:
- Simple and affordable yet multifunctional
- An adjustable gaming desk that could accommodate multiple monitors.
- Stable and durable.
- The cable management system ensures wirings are organized.
Cons:
- Hard to assemble
- Some find it too tall.
You may wish to check this desk on Amazon.
See Reviews On Amazon9. Nathan James Multifunctional Desk
Simple and patterned on a modernized design, Nathan James Computer Desk is an excellent desk that functions with multipurpose. It can be a study desk, vanity table, or a display table. It’s sturdy and made up of water-resistant and scratch-resistant material that guarantees long-lasting usage.
The surface area is spacious for all your studying agenda. You could store your personal items in the large drawer. It can accommodate a maximum of 120 pounds of weight. It is built with a floor protector at the bottom of the desk so it won’t leave scratches on the floor.
Price: $219.99
Pros:
- Created in a simplistic and modernized design
- Multifunctional as you can transform it into a vanity or display table
- Spacious workspace for your laptop or computer
- Built with large drawers to store your bulky paperwork
- Made of a solid wood base that can hold a maximum of 120 pounds of weight
- Material is scratch-resistant and water-resistant
- Has a floor protector to keep your floors scratch-free
Cons:
- Drawers are hard-to-pull.
- Hard to assemble
You may wish to check this desk on Amazon.
10. Tower Computer Desk with 4 Tier Shelves
Medical students are loaded with textbooks, resources, gadgets, and other personal stuff. A desk that could provide extra storage might be the most appropriate and helpful for their current agenda.
Placed on either side of the frame, four extra shelves provide large storage capacity to keep all your essential stuff in place. In case you prefer a desktop, you may choose to omit the second shelf at the bottom for your CPU.
The desk is made up of sturdy material with a steel frame that could hold as much as 100 pounds of weight.
Price: $144.99
Pros:
- Integrated shelves that could provide extra storage for your personal items
- Easy to assembly
- Large storage capacity and can hold up to 100 pounds
- Sturdy material with steel frame
Cons:
- Tends to wobble if not assembled correctly
You may wish to check this desk on Amazon.
Verdict: What Is The Best Desk For Medical Students?
Among the ten, the best desk for medical students goes to Tower Computer Desk with 4-tier Shelves! I highly commend this desk as it has everything that you’re looking for a desk that is useful to boost your productivity in med school.
I like the simplistic yet modernized design. Its built isn’t questionable because it is made up of sturdy material that could accommodate 100 pounds which makes the exclusive desk to accommodate this maximum weight. It is designed with long-lasting durability. Storage is perfect for your textbooks, paperwork, and other personal items.
Truly, this is a medical student-approved desk!
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Boost your productivity with the best desk in town. Investing in a good quality desk has a lot of benefits not just for your studying efficiency but also for your health.
Did you know that standing desks can help improve your health, mood, and productivity in med school? Check out this article on the Top 10 Best Standing Desks for Medical School.
Having a neat, organized, and ergonomically designed desk would surely be a huge help for you to accomplish all your medical school-related tasks.
Found this post helpful? You may find some of our other blog posts helpful, as well!
- Top 10 Best Standing Desks for Medical School
- How To Study For Step 1 [Get a 250+]
- 10 Most Competitive Residencies
- Best Prep Course For MCAT: Top Courses
- Best Medical Podcast to Listen to
- Ultimate Guide on How To Study For Step 2 CK
If you want access to our full library of guides and free courses for med students, check out the Med Vault!
This is a completely free library of step-by-step eBooks & video courses that can help you on your medical journey!
Get access to the Med Vault here.
I also want to share with you my best strategies and tricks on how you can succeed on your medical journey with my best selling Triple Bundle Books!
Check out how I went from barely passing my exams to graduating med school with a 3.9 GPA in these resources. It worked for me and it could also work for you!
Hope you enjoyed this post!
Until next time my friend…
