Do I need to get a blackberry for 3rd year?

[nope80]

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I'm not sure what to do about this and have been debating what I need to get for 3rd year. How necessary is a blackberry? Do most people have either them or pdas? The reason I ask is because if I wanted to get a bb that would increase my monthly bill at least $40. I just don't know if its worth it. If its something I will use then I'll do it. If its one of those things that doesn't really get used then i'd rather not. Also, does anyone know if a pda would serve the same purpose? At least with a pda there wouldn't be the monthly cost?

Any advice? I really appreciate it.

 

[RussianJoo]

a pda would be the same thing as a BB, but you don't need any of them. i never used one and did very well in clinicals. all you really need is a pocket drug guide and a maxwell's medical reference, but after a few weeks you didn't even use the maxwell's that much, and drug guide sits in my pocket 99% of the time.

BB's are nice if you can have your pt's labs sent to it, which residents and attendings at my hospital have, but i don't think students are aloud to have that set up due to hippa. That's the only reason I am going to get a BB as a resident because I'll be able to get my patients labs results sent directly to my cell phone.

I think PDA's are becoming very unpopular thanks to these smart phones.

You really don't need to look up that much stuff during rotations, most people that I have seen who have pda's use them to play games on during down time. I say save your money and just get these.

http://www.amazon.com/Maxwell-Quick-Medical-Reference-Refe/dp/0964519135

http://www.amazon.com/Pocket-Medicine-Massachusetts-Hospital-Handbook/dp/0781771447/ref=pd_sim_b_1

http://www.amazon.com/Tarascon-Pocket-Pharmacopoeia-Deluxe-Lab-coat/dp/1882742567/ref=pd_sim_b_5

if you're going to do ID elective and need to know more about antibiotics this is a great pocket book.

http://www.amazon.com/Sanford-Guide-Antimicrobial-Therapy-2008/dp/1930808453/ref=pd_sim_b_1

other than that you don't need anything else. PDA's and BB's are nice to have but you won't use them that much to justify spending $300 on them.

 

[nope80]

thanks for the references!

So I guess my next question is since I will be away from home more, do you think it would be useful to have text messaging/email on my phone. I have to get a new phone anyway (i'm due for a verizon upgrade) and right now i don't have text or email on my phone. Do you think it would be convenient to be able to have these capabilities on a phone to keep in touch during the day or on call or are you just so busy that you don't have time? Thats why I thought a bb would be convenient, to be able to stay in touch w my husband during long stretches in the hospital - but i don't know if its possible in terms of how rotations work or whether it would just be best to get a new phone w a text/email plan instead of cashing out on an expensive bb?

 

[DOctorJay]

first off, i love my iphone.

now it sounds like you really want to stay with verizon and aren't sure about a BB yet. you don't NEED anything but if you learn how to use these devices and really use them to their potential then they can be very helpful in day to day life. if you get the BB you need to download vlingo (go to vlingo.com) program allows you to speek into your phone and it will convert to text and send as email or text message.

verizon around me is running a sale where you can buy one BB and get another of equal or lesser value for free. this might be a good option for you and your husband. definitely helpful to be able to text your sig other while at work to communicate quickly when you have a short burst of free time. you will have many such moments in the hospital especially as a student.

best of luck,
J

 

[QofQuimica]

I'm not sure what to do about this and have been debating what I need to get for 3rd year. How necessary is a blackberry? Do most people have either them or pdas? The reason I ask is because if I wanted to get a bb that would increase my monthly bill at least $40. I just don't know if its worth it. If its something I will use then I'll do it. If its one of those things that doesn't really get used then i'd rather not. Also, does anyone know if a pda would serve the same purpose? At least with a pda there wouldn't be the monthly cost?

Any advice? I really appreciate it.

I got a Blackberry a few months ago, but it's absolutely *not* necessary. It has come in helpful on occasion to look something up during rounds. But I mainly use it to check my email and text people. You will definitely have enough time to send texts to your husband on the wards; just don't do it while anyone who grades you is watching. (I've gotten pretty decent at texting while walking from one part of the hospital to another.) The other thing I use frequently is the calendar. This is the first time I have not had a paper calendar, and I'm getting to like the electronic version. Granted that I'm totally screwed if I ever lose the darn thing, though.

Oh, and the other thing you should do is to check whether your hospital offers discounts for Verizon. I only wound up having to pay about $15 more per month, which I thought was well worth it.

 

[chemist157]

I got a Blackberry a few months ago, but it's absolutely *not* necessary. It has come in helpful on occasion to look something up during rounds. But I mainly use it to check my email and text people. You will definitely have enough time to send texts to your husband on the wards; just don't do it while anyone who grades you is watching. (I've gotten pretty decent at texting while walking from one part of the hospital to another.) The other thing I use frequently is the calendar. This is the first time I have not had a paper calendar, and I'm getting to like the electronic version. Granted that I'm totally screwed if I ever lose the darn thing, though.

Oh, and the other thing you should do is to check whether your hospital offers discounts for Verizon. I only wound up having to pay about $15 more per month, which I thought was well worth it.

You should download google sync. you can sync your calender (and contacts) with google calendar automatically. that way if you ever lose your phone or leave it at home you can look up your schedule online.

 

[nope80]

They do offer discounts but only for employees, not med students.

 

[Ashers]

I got a Palm Tungsten TX or something M3 year from my school. Used that both years because I didn't want to contaminate my blackberry with medical stuff.

I got a blackberry at the start of M4 year, so I could get interview emails ASAP. I was able to get all interview dates I wanted because of it (even 1 with 1 spot left).

At my school, the PDA is required. I don't know how I survived without my blackberry before this year. I used to be able to remember every single appointment I had without using a calendar, and now my blackberry's become my brain. I also like the internet.

 

[RussianJoo]

first off, i love my iphone.

now it sounds like you really want to stay with verizon and aren't sure about a BB yet. you don't NEED anything but if you learn how to use these devices and really use them to their potential then they can be very helpful in day to day life. if you get the BB you need to download vlingo (go to vlingo.com) program allows you to speek into your phone and it will convert to text and send as email or text message.

verizon around me is running a sale where you can buy one BB and get another of equal or lesser value for free. this might be a good option for you and your husband. definitely helpful to be able to text your sig other while at work to communicate quickly when you have a short burst of free time. you will have many such moments in the hospital especially as a student.

best of luck,
J

OMG I have just been talking to my friends that this would be a great program to have.. you don't know how hard it is to drive and text lol..

 

[RussianJoo]

thanks for the references!

So I guess my next question is since I will be away from home more, do you think it would be useful to have text messaging/email on my phone. I have to get a new phone anyway (i'm due for a verizon upgrade) and right now i don't have text or email on my phone. Do you think it would be convenient to be able to have these capabilities on a phone to keep in touch during the day or on call or are you just so busy that you don't have time? Thats why I thought a bb would be convenient, to be able to stay in touch w my husband during long stretches in the hospital - but i don't know if its possible in terms of how rotations work or whether it would just be best to get a new phone w a text/email plan instead of cashing out on an expensive bb?

yeah texting would be useful, and is a great way to communicate when in a lecture or grand rounds or something. I think you have a lot of down time too during rotations, i could always find 5min to escape to the bathroom or the hall to make a phone call if i needed to. if you get email might as well get the black berry and get full internet i think. don't you pay for internet service with email anyway? if you have verizon up grades the bb might be a lot cheaper. also you can just tell the verizon store that you're working for your hospital i don't think they need any proof. you can also ask them to upgrade you to a bb for free it doesn't have to be the new storm, they might do it. otherwise ask to speak to their supervisor and tell them that you're willing to switch companies because another is offering you a free bb, they'll usually just say we want your business here's the bb.

 

[CorazonDoc]

big iphone fan.

-definitely not needed for 3rd year-but may be used as a drug reference or general medical reference (both of which you will need in some form for 3rd year)
-probably use it more for email and downtime games than actual "on the spot" usefulness, but mine has come in handy quite a few times like when a patient says "i'm not sure what pill i'm taking". the epocrates pill finder feature can really impress an attending who isn't tech savy.
-got a hospital discount for monthly payments (i think it's 15%), just needed a photocopy of my hospital ID.
-other than that, the iphone becomes as useful as you want to make it.

 

[NonTradDO]

Great thing about the BB is keeping up to date with emails and of course BBM'ing. I don't think you 'NEED' any of that though

 

[Doctor Bagel]

I love, love, love my iphone because it's nice to have a connection to the outside world while you're stuck in the hospital. It's especially good for call and for hospitals that block most sites on the internet. But yeah, you don't need one for the actual work part of the clerkship. The references mentioned above should cover you for all of that stuff.