To PDA or not to PDA!

[Sanad]

any use of getting a palm pda? Im in final year! Also please list any useful software you use! Thanks.

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[Law2Doc]

any use of getting a palm pda? Im in final year! Also please list any useful software you use! Thanks.

If you are in final year (and already made it through rotations without a palm), then maybe you have no need for one. Many folks use them for the epocrates (pharmacopia/drug reference), a medical encyclopedia, web/email access, a portable calendar, portable calculator and phone functions.

 

[Sanad]

Acyually, here in pakistan, we have rotations 3rd and 4th yr but the real 24/7 hands-on stuff starts in final year. So i was wonderin if a pda was a good investment!

 

[lord_jeebus]

I got one and never used it. I think the people who got the most out of them were those who already were used to using some sort of digital organizer for their everyday life.

I would suggest starting out without one and seeing if you are in situations where you think you would benefit from having one.

I think the biggest factor for me was that it was not 100% reliable so I ended up carrying pocket books anyway.

 

[SoCuteMD]

I'm a third year and I use my PDA daily. However, if you are in your final year and don't already use one, I'd wait. Your residency may supply a PDA with software for free, or you may have a book allowance that would cover it!

 

[Ashers]

I use mine, but we're required to log "significant patient encounters." If it weren't for that, I wouldn't use it much. I sometimes look up drug mechanisms in epocrates, but it's usually not in as much detail as I want. I guess I do play games on it when I'm flying places, but I could survive without it.

 

[Dr McSteamy]

i used to be anti or apathetic towards pda.

and then i got a Windows smartphone, and loaded up a bunch of medical software on it.
i even have a spanish language translator which has been useful.

it's nice to have all the info in the world in your hand, without all the bulky books in your pockets.

it's easy to look stuff up without hunting for a computer in the hospital.

 

[Sanad]

I have the mont reid surgical handbook for surgery and the washington manual/oxfor handbook for medicine. If i have a pen and pad alongwith that in my pocket, do i really need a pda? My classes start in a month so i'm gatherin recon. Im in dubai currently so i can get a pda if i have to. Once i'm back to Pakistan, that option wont be available!

 

[Dr McSteamy]

you dont need a pda

but its nice to have

 

[Sanad]

Nice to have one is a good enough reason for me So which one's better? Im looking at Tungsten TX for its screen.

 

[Dr McSteamy]

i'm a Windows Mobile man myself.

intuitive interface. and tons of cracked programs for it.

there are many pda-phones you can buy with windows mobile 6 professional installed, touchscreen, stylus, everything.

i see no reason to separate phone from pda. even if you don't have phone service, the pda half still works.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/smartphone/default.mspx?f_touchscreen=Yes