best iphone apps for floors

[robosurgeon]

Hi,

I was just wondering what recommendations people have for iphone Apps. The only thing I have is Epocrates (full version, school paid for it). It is good for drugs but I'm not a fan for it in terms of general information about a condition, esp when I'm trying to remember everything I had memorized for Step 1.

I'm also at the point where I'm willing to start paying for iphone apps because I am hoping that they will last me a while. Some of the stuff I'd like to focus on -

anatomy (even walk throughs of surgical procedures would be awesome!)
pharm
clinical guidelines for many of the common medicine illnesses
micro
how to read EKG?
maybe even a radiology app? (or how to read an image)
sample heart sounds, breath sounds

likewise, is there an app that's a good way to stay up to date on general medicine literature (before i figure out a specialty) to at least stay somewhat cognizant of what is going on

i'm sure there are many more topics so feel free to request more and share what you have used, and hopefully add a nice little review if you enjoyed the app.

thanks

(p.s. i'm not an apple sales representative or w/e. i just can't remember anything when i study at home and then go into the wards and am like crap, i need to look at a book again)

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[finns86]

I use my iPhone extensively during my rotations. However, I've found that sometimes too many resources is a waste so I'd consider how much you'd realistically use something before you buy it.

As far as your list: for micro the lange microbiology app is great if you are trying to look up a specific bug as a refresher.

The one app I love is skyscape with 5-minute clinical consult. You can get this book in a number of ways, but skyscape has the best and most intuitive layout in my opinion. 5MCC is awesome for a quick review of all the pertinent details of a common condition including differentials, 1st/2nd line treatment, patient education, etc. I've looked like a genius to attendings when I've looked up a quick case in between rooms

epocrates should be more than fine for pharm? Although lange has a good pharm app too.

There are a number of EKG apps, none i found particularly helpful to be honest. Probably be better off just reading Dubin.

Not sure about heart/breath sounds, but I'm don't know how helpful these would be on the floor unless you really had some downtime and wanted to brush up.

 

[OveractiveBrain]

Epocrates for drug interaction, trade to generic name, and mechanism. Huge use to residents when it comes to discharge, learning pill dose form and regular dosages. Easily replaces pharmacopia books.

Sky Scape is some sort of magic when it comes ot learning. Id rather read Pocket Medicine, but its there as a cool app

PDFs. Albeit some sort of illegality, but you can probably find pdfs online of old versions of First Aid or Kaplan Notes to just read on your phone.

 

[McGillGrad]

They have been mostly a waste of time and make you look like you're goofing off. You tend to learn better without a crutch in your pocket and a couple small books will give you info about drugs and common commons.

Don't be a party to the dumbing down of your own mind.

 

[MossPoh]

They have been mostly a waste of time and make you look like you're goofing off. You tend to learn better without a crutch in your pocket and a couple small books will give you info about drugs and common commons.

Don't be a party to the dumbing down of your own mind.

How is a device with multiple resources on it a crutch and little books not? You tend to learn better through exposure on multiple fronts and repetition. I've learned a ton with my devices and I don't have to squint at the ungodly small text.

 

[OveractiveBrain]

I think what McGillGrad was getting at was that having a database of easily accessible information will reduce the need to learn, retain, and recall information. I certainly agree that students should be committing to memory drugs, diseases, diagnostics, and treatments, I certainly disagree that there is a difference between books and apps.

While books can give you context and "unintended information" (you see the page and read more than you intended), when you are on the wards and a question comes up "the patient is on atovqoune. Thats familiar, what is it?" its useful to be able to jump straight to the answer (epocrates). This actually happened to me yesterday in the ER.

And finally, you can get an entire textbook into a small device. That small device takes up less than one pocket. You could look like a pack mule (indications of lack of confidence) and have the same information in the one device. Now I say this and I carry Pocket Medicine and a Droid, using the Droid only for epocrates, really. I also make sure to say, out loud, that Im looking things up periodorically. The residents make remarks like thats what they assumed, but if i use my phone for knowledge apps, I make sure I tell them.

 

[Ableton]

Angry Birds and Flight Control for most of the day.
Words With Friends back and forth throughout the day.
ESPN Sportscenter for those unfortunate call nights and Sundays.
Facebook since it seems to be blocked on every hospital computer.
iAugment. Not because I want to be a plastic surgeon - I just think it's hilarious taking pictures of people and giving them double D's.

Anything else is just a waste.

 

[DrKnowLittle]

^ +1!

 

[Deferoxamine]

best iphone apps for floors

None.

Agree with the above that to everyone else, it looks like you're goofing off. Plus there's a rapidly growing stereotype in the clinical years of the 250+ Step 1 student who has every goddamn iPhone medical app imaginable who stupidly uses them in front of the entire team (who by the way, aren't the least bit impressed that you know how to work a search engine), with glaring deficiencies at the bedside.

Bottom line is that if you use this junk religiously, you're going to look like an awkward tool. Sorry, but it's the truth.

 

[PokerDoc]

None.

Agree with the above that to everyone else, it looks like you're goofing off. Plus there's a rapidly growing stereotype in the clinical years of the 250+ Step 1 student who has every goddamn iPhone medical app imaginable who stupidly uses them in front of the entire team (who by the way, aren't the least bit impressed that you know how to work a search engine), with glaring deficiencies at the bedside.

Bottom line is that if you use this junk religiously, you're going to look like an awkward tool. Sorry, but it's the truth.

you sound bitter

 

[McGillGrad]

you sound bitter

You sound defensive

 

[Ableton]

None.

Agree with the above that to everyone else, it looks like you're goofing off. Plus there's a rapidly growing stereotype in the clinical years of the 250+ Step 1 student who has every goddamn iPhone medical app imaginable who stupidly uses them in front of the entire team (who by the way, aren't the least bit impressed that you know how to work a search engine), with glaring deficiencies at the bedside.

Bottom line is that if you use this junk religiously, you're going to look like an awkward tool. Sorry, but it's the truth.

Almost every resident/intern I've had will occasionally pull out their iPhone/BB/Android while rounding to check something or another.
The only time it becomes an issue is with the apathetic student who hangs at the back of the crowd on rounds, paying little attention to the patients being presented and using his phone constantly instead of trying not to fall asleep while standing up. As an attending, it's pretty obvious to pick this person out from the other students who quickly look up a drug every now and then to refresh their memory.

 

[PokerDoc]

You sound defensive

It is rude to pull out a phone while an attending or resident is speaking to the group. However, I think its an overreaction to scoff at the utility of a smartphone on the floors. There is always down moments on rounds that are opportune times to seek further information. I have always retained knowledge better when I immediately read about something I see with my own eyes. This is just one way to do that. I don't really have anything to be defensive about, and in fact, I am regularly asked by residents to look up something on my phone so that they can write the orders or do whatever they need to do while we're rounding.

 

[cabinbuilder]

Almost every resident/intern I've had will occasionally pull out their iPhone/BB/Android while rounding to check something or another.
The only time it becomes an issue is with the apathetic student who hangs at the back of the crowd on rounds, paying little attention to the patients being presented and using his phone constantly instead of trying not to fall asleep while standing up. As an attending, it's pretty obvious to pick this person out from the other students who quickly look up a drug every now and then to refresh their memory.

I have to second this. As someone who just finished residency you need to be aware of the attendings who are old school. I had many students/residents with certain attending get bitched royally for having their nose in the electronics and not with the rounding. I have had attendings who did not allow electronics on rounds and expected you to know what what going on and not use a "crutch" on rounds. Just be aware of this possibility and be ready mentally to answer questions without help from your phone.

 

[surftheiop]

For the folks who say stuff like "screw the technology I need to be able to rely on myself"

Historically that has not been a winning strategy in any field/business. The world is pretty much lead by whoever can implement available technology the best at any given time.

Not saying that people should rely solely on technology, but technology is the great equalizer, so don't be surprised in 20 years to see a NP with a 30th generation iDevice that interprets imaging and a stethoscope with sound analysis algorithms running circles around you if you feel too good for technology.

However if you keep your technological skills up to par, then your training will always give you the edge over someone else with less training but the same available technology.

 

[Deferoxamine]

Historically that has not been a winning strategy in any field/business. The world is pretty much lead by whoever can implement available technology the best at any given time.

Agree, but this is probably way more applicable once you are a resident or even in private practice or something.

No need to "invest" in this technology as a medical student. It's basically just a premature ejaculation to look and/or feel important as a third year student on the floors, and it's really not all that helpful to your daily job as a student... no offense.

 

[NJDIF]

I found one of the most useful apps to be Auscultation (by Ryklin Software, $3.99).

They have three categories of audio files: cardiac, pulmonary, and abdominal.

You need your headphones to hear the sounds well, but after some practice with the app (and the audio quizzes that come with it), I got really good at picking up murmurs and extra sounds. It also really helped me pick up more subtle findings on lung auscultation (it looks good on rounds when you can articulate the type of crackles, the pattern of breathing, etc).

 

[MDpride]

Free apps does everything for you.

Mobile merck medicus ( free for US medical students and physicians): Harrison manual of medicine, Merck manual of patient symptoms and Lab & diagnostic tests.

Medscape: classifies adverse effects in 3 categories depending on prevalence. also has ACLS, EKG etc...

Epocrates

Micromedex: it has very good explanation of MOA of Drugs compared to epocrated and medscape where MOA is one-liner. It also has patient info section.

Once downloaded donot require INTERNET to access so works with ipodtouch. So NO need for expensive data plans.

 

[syncrhodes]

UCSF Hospitalist Handbook, hands down, is the best step-by-step guidance for the medicine inpatient wards.
Basically whenever I had a patient, I would look up the diagnosis and management steps as outlined in the Hospitalist Handbook. It gives way more step-by-step details than the Red/Green book. All the residents would be surprised at how much practical (not esoteric and irrelevant) diagnostic and management steps I'd have in my presentations. They thought I was a genius...(and I wasn't too keen on letting them know where most of that genius was coming from

Hardcopy version at UCSF's main website.
Free but super old website version (2002) on google.
Updated version for iPhone and Android through the AgileMD free platform.