HELP! Treo/ Blackberry/ Q/ Standard PDA???

[MissionComplete]

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So I'm still not sure of what I should do for next month when 3rd year starts. Some say just get yourself MGH guide and the Maxwell Cards and that you'll be fine.

After reading this review it seems like the Treo is the way to go. What do you think? 😱

 

[basupran]

axim x51v

 

[DrThom]

If you don't have a Blackberry, no one will think you are cool

 

[MissionComplete]

If you don't have a Blackberry, no one will think you are cool

I can't find any software for the blackberry. Anyone have a palm or pda and have some advice or insight?

 

[LJDHC05]

I can't find any software for the blackberry. Anyone have a palm or pda and have some advice or insight?

In my experience, the most common thing that I've seen residents and attendings doing with their treo's is texting their family/SO/friends. If you can take the 3-400 dollar hit, you can get some pretty decent software for common formulas, making differentials, etc. They've also digitized the MGH handbook, the oxford handbook and Tabers, but I think that the paper versions will do just as well.

 

[MissionComplete]

but can you really read it well? do you look like a fool clicking around?

 

[LJDHC05]

but can you really read it well? do you look like a fool clicking around?

I'm going to be an MS1 in 2 months, so I havent used the software yet. I just got a treo 650 (warranty replacement for a much cheaper smartphone through verizon). I've used the document and PDF reading programs without much problem for work, so it's comfortably readable at arm's length. I think being able to electroncially search through the books would be slightly advantageous to flipping through an index and I could imagine that the differential diagnosis software could be good for when you're going through morning rounds before the attending is on the floor for rounds. It's the difference between looking like a fool flipping through a book or clicking around on your phone...pretty negligible IMO.

 

[donuthead]

i dont know that much about either but are here any limitations to smart phones vs. pdas in terms of the amount of base memory (or any other feature) and certain programs that you can run (or can a smart phone do anything that a pda can)?

 

[LJDHC05]

i dont know that much about either but are here any limitations to smart phones vs. pdas in terms of the amount of base memory (or any other feature) and certain programs that you can run (or can a smart phone do anything that a pda can)?

Treo is basically a fully functional Palm that happens to have a phone on it. I have like 22 mb base memory and compact flash memory is cheap. Older smartphones were pretty limited, but the newer ones are pretty cool. Alot of hospitals issue treos/palms for sending perscriptions/labs off instantly.

 

[Blade28]

I doubt you'll need email enough to warrant a Blackberry.

 

[Hersey]

If you're planning to use Epocrates (which I gather is pretty popular), think ahead. Recently, an "upgrade" to Epocrates rendered it unusable on some older PDAs. The support response is essentially, "Sorry, but it'll never work again, so have a prorated refund." (We learned this just today on my wife's Treo 300.)

Even though Epocrates is pretty forthcoming with system requirements and supported models, there's nothing to prevent them from cutting off any particular model on any given day. Lower-end models are likely to be pushed into obsolescence sooner, but who can say? Again, this applies only to Epocrates.

 

[exmike]

Sprint Treo 700p

You can get a high speed data plan (because most hospitals dont have wifi) and 500min from sprint for $30 month. Add $10 for 6pm night weekends. Best deal by far. You have to sign up at www.sprint.com/sero (sprint employee referral)

Then you can have a phone and PDA together, fewer things to carry, and high speed internet wherever you go!

 

[deuist]

I'll let others debate the finer points of which PDA to get. If you are looking to purchase pocket reference guides, I suggest that you look to the Recall series. The books Surgery Recall and Medicine Recall supposedly are really beneficial for clinical rotations. These titles are also available off of Littman's website for PDA's.

If you do get the Palm, I know that ePocrates, PDR.NET, the Merck Manual, and the Johns Hopkins ID Guide are all strongly recommended. All of these titles, except for the Johns Hopkins ID Guide, are also available for Windows machines.

 

[MissionComplete]

Have anyone tried out or seen the MGH guide and the Maxwell Cards

I feel like for $40 I should just get them incase it runs out of batteries or something, right?

 

[SanDiegoSOD]

I doubt you'll need email enough to warrant a Blackberry.

True, but the two or three important emails one gets every day will be handled like a champ...

 

[Army_Doc]

Sprint Treo 700p

You can get a high speed data plan (because most hospitals dont have wifi) and 500min from sprint for $30 month. Add $10 for 6pm night weekends. Best deal by far. You have to sign up at www.sprint.com/sero (sprint employee referral)

Then you can have a phone and PDA together, fewer things to carry, and high speed internet wherever you go!

Awesome. thanks

 

[MissionComplete]

I asked the dept of medicine IT people and they said that getting a palm with WiFi is a great option, and that I could find the Palm Tx pretty cheap online. $229 isn't so bad, and that would let me keep my family plan on Verizon. If I have a bluetooth phone, i'd then have email on the palm too. Right? anyone ever do that?