Blackberry or Palm for Med-school?

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Jbienven

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So i'm getting a new phone. Does anyone know if its worth spending the extra money on a blackberry/palm for organization?

Aren't there programs for the palm platform that are medically related?

Anyone have experience with either?

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A number of people in my second year class have PDA's. I don't have one currently because I know I won't use it to organize myself but I'm planning on getting one for my third year b/c there are a number of programs and clinically related books that you can carry on your PDA instead of carrying around the books for whatever rotation you're on. If you're the type of person who will use something like that to keep yourself organized than go ahead and get one. If you are like me and are wanting one more for its clinical use than I would suggest waiting until right before your third year so you can get the latest technology.
 
erin682 said:
A number of people in my second year class have PDA's. I don't have one currently because I know I won't use it to organize myself but I'm planning on getting one for my third year b/c there are a number of programs and clinically related books that you can carry on your PDA instead of carrying around the books for whatever rotation you're on. If you're the type of person who will use something like that to keep yourself organized than go ahead and get one. If you are like me and are wanting one more for its clinical use than I would suggest waiting until right before your third year so you can get the latest technology.

Totally agree. There is no need for a PDA in the pre-clinical years so wait. By then the machines will be better, or at least smaller and cheaper.
 
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I'm gonna agree here too. I receieved a PDA as a present when i graduated high school. I used it perhaps during my freshman and soph years in college, then basically just used my phone for all my organization/scheduling. I'd suggest getting a blackberry/treo/PDA right before clinical...Easier to keep yourself organized than a phone whose battery may die out on you in a day or so without charging.
 
I agree - no palm until clinicals. Plus, cell phones are supposed to be off in hospitals - so any phone that is also a PDA probably won't work. If you want a palm to organize yourself, I would buy a cheapie one - you won't need it for anything more than schedule/contacts for two years and by then they will have changed drastically and an upgrade will be necessary anyways.
 
Jbienven said:
So i'm getting a new phone. Does anyone know if its worth spending the extra money on a blackberry/palm for organization?

Aren't there programs for the palm platform that are medically related?

Anyone have experience with either?

Only get a blackberry if you have access to the internet & email. This is not likely unless you got it through a corporate provider.

A palm can be useful, but they get outdated quickly. With cingular, you can get a new phone every 2 years. It depends on what service you use, but just realize that you will need to buy a new one later one since it will be out of date by the time you start clinicals. I don't plan on getting one until I begin my internship.
 
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