Wow this sounds really useful! Do most of you students use PDA's. I know at some schools its required. But if it is not required, would you still recommend buying one for the purposes of school. What do you use it the most for? Scheduling? Using Pocket Podiatrics and similar programs? Thanks for any input. I'm contemplating whether I need to get one for myself before school starts.
Also, What do you all think about getting one of those tablet notebooks that you can write notes on with a stylus pen and it converts your writing into typed text? Waste of money?
I really don't think it's necessary by any means - especially a notebook laptop. Most people print off the notes or journal articles anyways because with as much reading as you do in school, looking at screen all day makes your eyes go crazy.
I don't even own a laptop and get by ok with my PDA, an older desktop, and printing off notes. A laptop would be handy sometimes since PDA internet is reeealy slow, but then I might quit paying attention to the professor and just browse the web or IM during class as many of my classmates who bring laptops tend to do.
I use my PDA to take notes in class sometimes when a professor doesn't have good notes available; Windows PDAs have "Pocket Word" and "Pocket PowerPoint" to follow the lecture or take your own notes. Your PDA will have letter recognizer that takes a couple days to get used to but works smooth once you get the hang of it; if you take notes in PocketWord, then you convert them to MSWord on your desktop or laptop and can print them out.
I'd say you should get a PDA, but not right away. To be honest, when I start clinic, all I'll probably carry is Tarascon Pharmacopoeia in my lab coat and maybe Pocket Podiatrics if that doesn't weigh me down too much. Once you read them and can navigate the pocket-sized books, you can look up what you need before the kid next to you can even turn his PDA on. It's also better to have a 2 ounce pharmacopoeia than a 3 pound PDA that's in your lab coat all day, and I'd much rather have something that costs $10 lost or stolen than something that was $400+ after software and accessories. Also keep in mind that PDA batteries die from time to time, but pocket books are pretty fail safe.
I will probably leave my PDA in my locker once we start rotations; I doubt I'll carry it around. The only thing you really really need are the pharmacology doses since nobody can remember all of them (and even if you could, you'd be a ***** not to double check a book to prevent any possible med error). The PDA software like Netter Atlas and ortho textbook are handy when I get stuck or need a refresher in lab or lecture, but you shouldn't need to consult them very often if you paid attention in classes. There's obviously no way you'd lug those books around to clinic, even in your bag, so that is where a PDA comes in handy.
