Dual Monitor setup for Medical School

I will be starting medical school next year and I want to have a dual monitor setup. Right now I have a 2020 M1 Macbook air, which I know does not support MST / dual monitors. The thing is, it works perfectly fine. I have an ipad as well that I like to use as an extended display. So my question is, what are my options for either using my current laptop, is there any certain docking station I could buy that would allow a dual monitor setup? Am I just needing to buy an M5 macbook? Or am I better off keeping my current laptop and buying a Mac mini for hookup to external display monitors? Feeling kind of lost on what to do.