PDA question

[DrZion]

Is PDA really necessary for pharm school?. And how much do you use it. I have an old Dell axim, not even sure if it still works. But i'm thinking of buying a smartphone. If it's something we'll use once in a while i could hold off on that.

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[pinkyrx]

I personally don't think you'll need a PDA much at all in the early parts of pharmacy school. Once you get to rotations, then they can be quite useful. I would hold off and get one closer to rotations so that you'll have the latest technology and not something 2-3 years old.

 

[Rumplestiltazepam]

I am going to wait until the end of 3rd year, just before rotations. Give myself enough time to put software on it and learn to use it.

 

[DrZion]

The paperwork my school sent to me has pda and laptop requirement. Whereas they only require laptop for med students.
I guess i'll wait till i get there.

 

[Keppra]

I don't think you need a PDA during your early professional years of pharmacy school, but definitely get a PDA before rotations. I recommend going to the Micromedex (if your pharmacy program subscribes to it) website and downloading it free into your PDA. Or you can get the Lexi-Comp package for abour $200 if you are an APhA member. I use Lexi-Comp and I think it's great; it's got everything I need in it and it's helped me through all my rotations. On my General Med rotations, all I carried around was my PDA and my little pocket Sanford Guide and it seemed to answer the bulk of questions I got.

 

[genesis09]

If the Lexi-Comp Rep comes to your school, you can get an extra discount on top of the student discount.
At my school, they cannot give out free Micromedex or Lexi-Comp because our IPs overlap with other hospitals in the area.

 

[Trancelucent1]

I used my PDA a lot during my 3rd year and so far on rotations (because of Lexi-comp). The way our program is set-up we can use resources during our 3rd year so it was very helpful during pharmacotherapy. I definately used it daily!

~Pam

 

[WVUPharm2007]

The only time I've used a PDA is during rounds when I wasn't near a computer to access Clinical Pharmacology. And that was just the calculator. I've found that I actually know most of the crap they ask me, which honestly surprises me. They'll still stump you on the oddball questions ("Hmmm...does DPP-IV metabolize polypeptide Y, I forget...where's pharmacy?") and a PDA ain't gonna help you with that crap. But, hey, it make for a nice, warm security blanket.