Posts tagged discussion

Seven-Eighths: Reply

  • MD-Admissions: Kudos to that guy with the killer blade skills and hand-eye coordination for pulling that thing out!
  • He does have very steady hands so definitely hats off to him for that. My only concern watching him work was how much he was torquing the blade on the patient's teeth. He could have very easily chipped them.
  • Spreadyawings: That surgeon question is the bomb!, I’ve been asking myself the same question, but I have a few years to make up my mind.
  • There are number of ways to thin the list and when you use them all together it can really help narrow things down. "Do you want to be a surgeon?" is one; "Do you want to work with your hands and how comfortable are you with not knowing the answer?" is another. The newest one I am using is the depth of knowledge approach. "Do I see my future practice as a wide or a tall rectangle along the spectrum of knowledge?"

Medical Apps: Reply

  • Neppto: Which smartphone do you think is the best for clinical stuff?
  • I think that right now from both a quantity and quality standpoint, Apple is still the best platform for medical professionals. It came to the market first and has the most developer support. Android has the largest market share worldwide and that cannot be ignored but the development cycle is fractured because there is such a variety of devices, hardware capabilities and operating system versions. Support for Android will improve over time but those issues will continue to be a barrier to entry for many companies hoping to reach the widest audience.
Before the smartphone industry exploded with the introduction of Apple’s iPhone, the healthcare sector’s premium software found a home on a different breed of devices: your Palms, Blackberries, and Windows Mobiles. The playing field is totally different now. With the entry of Windows Phone 7 and later the Surface line of RT-powered tablets, Microsoft is hoping to win back some of its former glory and dominance. But progress is slow. To this day, medical apps for the healthcare professional is still hard to come by on the marketplace. Nonetheless, they are there and they are coming, albeit slowly. Here are twenty suggestions: Laboratory Pocket Lab Values: This app includes more than 320 lab values. It includes a differential diagnoses for the lab findings as well as websites for each lab value. In addition, there is a note taking feature to add additional information. Calculator MedCalc3000: This app includes over 550 medical equations, clinical criterias, decision tree tools and dose/unit converters. It caters to a wide variety of topics and a wide range of health professionals. There are more specific apps included in this family, including the cardiac, pulmonary etc. Otherwise, there is a Complete edition that is available. Pharmaceutical Micromedex Drug Information (Tablet): An evidence-based drug information app like its counterparts on Android and iOS, this app is tailored for the Windows RT tablet. Unfortunately at this time, no phone version is available. MPR: Monthly Prescribing Reference provides prescription and over the counter drug information, side effects and interactions. The information here is not as in depth as most but does offer a large database of monographs and serves as a decent drug reference on your phone. Epocrates (Pinned): At this time, Epocrates is not available as a dedicated app. However, you can still create access to the same resources by pinning the Epocrates website (https://online.epocrates.com) onto your home screen. While it is not perfect, it is a start. Anatomy Miniatlas Anatomy: This app contains illustrations and explanations  around various body parts. It serves as an interactive reference and education tool. Tools Dropbox: A cloud-based service that offers an opportunity to store algorithms, guidelines, or textbooks that you can access anywhere. Now available on your phone or tablet. Evernote: A note-taking tool to keep and sort out clinical pearls or to document clinical moments. Flashlight: For the times on call where we do not want to disturb other patients in a dark room as we make our way around. Translate This: This could be the only tool to help you in a situation where there is a language barrier and no one to translate. Clinical UpToDate (Tablet): This product really needs no introduction as it is a household name for most clinicians. Having said that, it is not a house brand across all of Windows’ products. This is currently only available on the RT tablets but plans are underway to port it to the phone in the near future. AHRQ ePSS (Tablet): Also available in other devices, the Electronic Preventive Services Selector was developed to assist primary clinicians identify the screening, counselling, and preventive medication services that are appropriate for their patients. This is again only available on RT tablets. Medscape (Pinned): Like Epocrates, this is currently not available by traditional means. However, by pinning the webpage onto your homepage, you can have a reasonable alternative that serves the same purpose, so long as you have an internet connection. Merck Manual: A digital, pocket version of the original reference. Disease states can be searched by section or by symptom. This package integrates expert descriptions of diagnosis and management of diseases with an A to Z symptoms guide and an award-winning drug guide. Diagnosaurus: A differential diagnosis generator that works around your working diagnosis or the symptoms you see. Pediatric Care Online: This subscription based app offers a comprehensive source for paediatric patients. It has disease and symptom references, a paediatric drug guideline and other guidelines involving management. Medline Plus: This is the National Institutes of Health’s web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand. Review Medical Mnemonics: This app includes over 1400 acronyms, rhymes and memory tricks on a wide variety of topics. It makes it convenient to search through with filters by discipline and system. You also have the option to add your own mnemonics to the app. USMLE: A flashcard bank of questions in preparation of the USMLE Step 1 including topics around anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, pathology, microbiology and behavioral sciences.  MCAT Exam Review: A flashcard bank of questions in preparation of the MCAT.  The market is still growing for Windows phones and tablets. Hopefully as time goes on, more medical apps will become available. For now, this is a good starting place. What apps do you use?

Before the smartphone industry exploded with the introduction of Apple’s iPhone, the healthcare sector’s premium software found a home on a different breed of devices: your Palms, Blackberries, and Windows Mobiles.

The playing field is totally different now. With the entry of Windows Phone 7 and later the Surface line of RT-powered tablets, Microsoft is hoping to win back some of its former glory and dominance. But progress is slow. To this day, medical apps for the healthcare professional is still hard to come by on the marketplace. Nonetheless, they are there and they are coming, albeit slowly. Here are twenty suggestions:

Laboratory

  • Pocket Lab Values: This app includes more than 320 lab values. It includes a differential diagnoses for the lab findings as well as websites for each lab value. In addition, there is a note taking feature to add additional information.

Calculator

  • MedCalc3000: This app includes over 550 medical equations, clinical criterias, decision tree tools and dose/unit converters. It caters to a wide variety of topics and a wide range of health professionals. There are more specific apps included in this family, including the cardiac, pulmonary etc. Otherwise, there is a Complete edition that is available.

Pharmaceutical

  • Micromedex Drug Information (Tablet): An evidence-based drug information app like its counterparts on Android and iOS, this app is tailored for the Windows RT tablet. Unfortunately at this time, no phone version is available.
  • MPR: Monthly Prescribing Reference provides prescription and over the counter drug information, side effects and interactions. The information here is not as in depth as most but does offer a large database of monographs and serves as a decent drug reference on your phone.
  • Epocrates (Pinned): At this time, Epocrates is not available as a dedicated app. However, you can still create access to the same resources by pinning the Epocrates website (https://online.epocrates.com) onto your home screen. While it is not perfect, it is a start.

Anatomy

  • Miniatlas Anatomy: This app contains illustrations and explanations  around various body parts. It serves as an interactive reference and education tool.

Tools

  • Dropbox: A cloud-based service that offers an opportunity to store algorithms, guidelines, or textbooks that you can access anywhere. Now available on your phone or tablet.
  • Evernote: A note-taking tool to keep and sort out clinical pearls or to document clinical moments.
  • Flashlight: For the times on call where we do not want to disturb other patients in a dark room as we make our way around.
  • Translate This: This could be the only tool to help you in a situation where there is a language barrier and no one to translate.

Clinical

  • UpToDate (Tablet): This product really needs no introduction as it is a household name for most clinicians. Having said that, it is not a house brand across all of Windows’ products. This is currently only available on the RT tablets but plans are underway to port it to the phone in the near future.
  • AHRQ ePSS (Tablet): Also available in other devices, the Electronic Preventive Services Selector was developed to assist primary clinicians identify the screening, counselling, and preventive medication services that are appropriate for their patients. This is again only available on RT tablets.
  • Medscape (Pinned): Like Epocrates, this is currently not available by traditional means. However, by pinning the webpage onto your homepage, you can have a reasonable alternative that serves the same purpose, so long as you have an internet connection.
  • Merck Manual: A digital, pocket version of the original reference. Disease states can be searched by section or by symptom. This package integrates expert descriptions of diagnosis and management of diseases with an A to Z symptoms guide and an award-winning drug guide.
  • Diagnosaurus: A differential diagnosis generator that works around your working diagnosis or the symptoms you see.
  • Pediatric Care Online: This subscription based app offers a comprehensive source for paediatric patients. It has disease and symptom references, a paediatric drug guideline and other guidelines involving management.
  • Medline Plus: This is the National Institutes of Health’s web site for patients and their families and friends. Produced by the National Library of Medicine, it brings you information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in language you can understand.

Review

  • Medical Mnemonics: This app includes over 1400 acronyms, rhymes and memory tricks on a wide variety of topics. It makes it convenient to search through with filters by discipline and system. You also have the option to add your own mnemonics to the app.
  • USMLE: A flashcard bank of questions in preparation of the USMLE Step 1 including topics around anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pharmacology, pathology, microbiology and behavioral sciences. 
  • MCAT Exam Review: A flashcard bank of questions in preparation of the MCAT. 

The market is still growing for Windows phones and tablets. Hopefully as time goes on, more medical apps will become available. For now, this is a good starting place. What apps do you use?

While Apple may have changed the way we think about smartphones and tablet computing, pioneering the way for a new industry of app design, they are not alone in this market. Following yesterday’s list, here are some resources that are available for your Android. Note that many developers have submitted apps to both marketplaces so there is overlap. Laboratory Normal Lab Values: Quick access to the most common laboratory values. There may only be 150 available when you install it but you have the option to add new categories and new lab values. Acid Plus: A calculator tool that helps tease out the type of acidotic or alkalotic process involved. Calculators BiliCalc: Like BiliTool, this tool helps calculate bilirubin levels in neonates and gives recommendations based on the risk stratification of jaundice. Mediquations Med Calculator: A premium calculator that has a more streamlined design and more comprehensive formulas than Qx Calculate.  Qx Calculate: A free calculator for many of the formulas and algorithms in medicine including risk calculators and unit conversions. Pharmaceutical Lexicomp: The standard for monograph information, this subscription-based app includes routine updates to the drug database for newly added medications and warnings. It includes a drug interactions calculator. Epocrates: For the free alternative, Epocrates continues to be a favorite among my classmates and attendings. It includes the standard dosing and regimens for medications but offers less detailed information regarding them compared to Lexicomp. Micromedex: Another decent alternative that is updated regularly with the most recent warnings and medications. There is a basic free form with premium add-ons including the drug interactions tool. Skyscape RxDrugs: Like the others, this app provides dosing guidelines on thousands of commonly used drugs. It includes nearly 400 integrated weight-based drug dosing calculators.  Anatomy Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy: While it certainly is not cheap, it is Netter. All of his anatomical plates have been compiled into this app for easy reviewing and learning. Visual Anatomy: This app takes the Gray’s Anatomy approach and integrates many of the illustrations from Gray’s and supplements it with 3D models. Clinical Medscape: A basic app that includes drug interaction calculator, a procedures reference and daily news in the world of medicine. Skyscape: A free app that includes a number of resources to help with clinical decision making. Designed to be a one-stop shop, you can purchase and subscribe to more features and resources within depending on your needs. PEPID: A clinical companion tool that provides summary information around conditions, include a brief explanation of the condition, the investigations, differential, and the treatment plan. Written in a concise form for the learner on the go. UpToDate: The clinical companion tool that is a favourite among the attendings. This subscription-based app comes in both an online or offline version and mirrors the desktop counterpart. Including in-depth review of disease states and clinical pearls surrounding therapy. Medicine Central: This is an integrated mobile and web reference built specifically for physicians, students, residents, and nurse practitioners. Medicine Central brings you comprehensive point-of-care content on the essentials of diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for over 700 diseases and disorders in a quick-read format. Merck Manual Suite: A digital, pocket version of the original reference. Disease states can be searched by section or by symptom. This package integrates expert descriptions of diagnosis and management of diseases with an A to Z symptoms guide and an award-winning drug guide. Eponym: For the medical student, half the battle is learning the language of medicine. Eponyms explains the common and obscure terms and signs of medicine named after their discoverers. DxSaurus: A differential diagnosis generator that works around your working diagnosis or the symptoms you see. Bugs and Drugs: A reference tool for antimicrobial therapy, the dosing guidelines and the sensitivity tables of all antibiotics. Oxford Medical Dictionary: Includes definitions for nearly 10,000 terms used in modern medicine.  Tools Google Translate: This could be the only tool to help you in a situation where there is a language barrier and no one to translate. Flashlight: For the times on call where we do not want to disturb other patients in a dark room as we make our way around. Evernote: A note-taking tool to keep and sort out clinical pearls or to document clinical moments. Drive/Dropbox: A cloud-based service like Drive or Dropbox offers an opportunity to store algorithms, guidelines, or textbooks that you can access anywhere. Now available on your phone or tablet. Review EKGdroid: A simple arrhythmia guide, it explains each component of the EKG and the arrhythmia patterns. Medical Mnemonics: If you learn best with mnemonics, this may be the app for you. Medical Mnemonics puts over 1500 clever acronyms, rhymes, and memory tricks on your Android, on topics ranging from Anatomy and Biochemistry to Pharmacology and Surgery. MCAT Prep Chem: For the pre-med student who wants to study on the go, this app covers all of the aspects of MCAT prep for general and organic chemistry. All the content is arranged by topic and category for easy navigation. MCAT Prep Bio:For the pre-med student who wants to study on the go, this app covers all of the aspects of MCAT prep for general, molecular biology, genetics etc. All the content is arranged by topic and category for easy navigation. USMLE World QBank: For the medical student preparing for exams, the QBank is an important resource to have. This list is by no means exhaustive but is a good starting point for readers out there interested in finding medical apps. What apps do you use?

While Apple may have changed the way we think about smartphones and tablet computing, pioneering the way for a new industry of app design, they are not alone in this market. Following yesterday’s list, here are some resources that are available for your Android. Note that many developers have submitted apps to both marketplaces so there is overlap.

Laboratory

  • Normal Lab Values: Quick access to the most common laboratory values. There may only be 150 available when you install it but you have the option to add new categories and new lab values.
  • Acid Plus: A calculator tool that helps tease out the type of acidotic or alkalotic process involved.

Calculators

  • BiliCalc: Like BiliTool, this tool helps calculate bilirubin levels in neonates and gives recommendations based on the risk stratification of jaundice.
  • Mediquations Med Calculator: A premium calculator that has a more streamlined design and more comprehensive formulas than Qx Calculate. 
  • Qx Calculate: A free calculator for many of the formulas and algorithms in medicine including risk calculators and unit conversions.

Pharmaceutical

  • Lexicomp: The standard for monograph information, this subscription-based app includes routine updates to the drug database for newly added medications and warnings. It includes a drug interactions calculator.
  • Epocrates: For the free alternative, Epocrates continues to be a favorite among my classmates and attendings. It includes the standard dosing and regimens for medications but offers less detailed information regarding them compared to Lexicomp.
  • Micromedex: Another decent alternative that is updated regularly with the most recent warnings and medications. There is a basic free form with premium add-ons including the drug interactions tool.
  • Skyscape RxDrugs: Like the others, this app provides dosing guidelines on thousands of commonly used drugs. It includes nearly 400 integrated weight-based drug dosing calculators. 

Anatomy

  • Netter’s Atlas of Human Anatomy: While it certainly is not cheap, it is Netter. All of his anatomical plates have been compiled into this app for easy reviewing and learning.
  • Visual Anatomy: This app takes the Gray’s Anatomy approach and integrates many of the illustrations from Gray’s and supplements it with 3D models.

Clinical

  • Medscape: A basic app that includes drug interaction calculator, a procedures reference and daily news in the world of medicine.
  • Skyscape: A free app that includes a number of resources to help with clinical decision making. Designed to be a one-stop shop, you can purchase and subscribe to more features and resources within depending on your needs.
  • PEPID: A clinical companion tool that provides summary information around conditions, include a brief explanation of the condition, the investigations, differential, and the treatment plan. Written in a concise form for the learner on the go.
  • UpToDate: The clinical companion tool that is a favourite among the attendings. This subscription-based app comes in both an online or offline version and mirrors the desktop counterpart. Including in-depth review of disease states and clinical pearls surrounding therapy.
  • Medicine Central: This is an integrated mobile and web reference built specifically for physicians, students, residents, and nurse practitioners. Medicine Central brings you comprehensive point-of-care content on the essentials of diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up for over 700 diseases and disorders in a quick-read format.
  • Merck Manual Suite: A digital, pocket version of the original reference. Disease states can be searched by section or by symptom. This package integrates expert descriptions of diagnosis and management of diseases with an A to Z symptoms guide and an award-winning drug guide.
  • Eponym: For the medical student, half the battle is learning the language of medicine. Eponyms explains the common and obscure terms and signs of medicine named after their discoverers.
  • DxSaurus: A differential diagnosis generator that works around your working diagnosis or the symptoms you see.
  • Bugs and Drugs: A reference tool for antimicrobial therapy, the dosing guidelines and the sensitivity tables of all antibiotics.
  • Oxford Medical Dictionary: Includes definitions for nearly 10,000 terms used in modern medicine. 

Tools

  • Google Translate: This could be the only tool to help you in a situation where there is a language barrier and no one to translate.
  • Flashlight: For the times on call where we do not want to disturb other patients in a dark room as we make our way around.
  • Evernote: A note-taking tool to keep and sort out clinical pearls or to document clinical moments.
  • Drive/Dropbox: A cloud-based service like Drive or Dropbox offers an opportunity to store algorithms, guidelines, or textbooks that you can access anywhere. Now available on your phone or tablet.

Review

  • EKGdroid: A simple arrhythmia guide, it explains each component of the EKG and the arrhythmia patterns.
  • Medical Mnemonics: If you learn best with mnemonics, this may be the app for you. Medical Mnemonics puts over 1500 clever acronyms, rhymes, and memory tricks on your Android, on topics ranging from Anatomy and Biochemistry to Pharmacology and Surgery.
  • MCAT Prep Chem: For the pre-med student who wants to study on the go, this app covers all of the aspects of MCAT prep for general and organic chemistry. All the content is arranged by topic and category for easy navigation.
  • MCAT Prep Bio:For the pre-med student who wants to study on the go, this app covers all of the aspects of MCAT prep for general, molecular biology, genetics etc. All the content is arranged by topic and category for easy navigation.
  • USMLE World QBank: For the medical student preparing for exams, the QBank is an important resource to have.

This list is by no means exhaustive but is a good starting point for readers out there interested in finding medical apps. What apps do you use?

As the popularity of smartphone of tablet computing expands, so too does the library of apps. The following is a list of iOS apps that might be of interest or use for the curious, for the learners, and for the clerks. Laboratory LabDx: A reference tool for common laboratory investigations. Acid Plus: A calculator tool that helps tease out the type of acidotic or alkalotic process involved. Lytes: A basic reference to the common electrolyte abnormalities, the causes, signs, and symptoms. Calculators BiliTool: An online tool that has an optimized mobile format, this tool helps calculate bilirubin levels in neonates and gives recommendations based on the risk stratification of jaundice. Qx Calculate: A free calculator for many of the formulas and algorithms in medicine including risk calculators and unit conversions. MedCalc Pro: A premium calculator that has a more streamlined design and more formulas than Qx Calculate. It also allows you to save patient values for use in multiple calculations. Pharmaceutical Lexicomp: The standard for monograph information, this subscription-based app includes routine updates to the drug database for newly added medications and warnings. It includes a drug interactions calculator. Epocrates: For the free alternative, Epocrates continues to be a favorite among my classmates and attendings. It includes the standard dosing and regimens for medications but offers less detailed information regarding them compared to Lexicomp. Micromedex: Another decent alternative that is updated regularly with the most recent warnings and medications. There is a basic free form with premium add-ons including the drug interactions tool. Anatomy Netter’s Anatomy Atlas: Netter is a household name in the world of medical illustrations and all of his anatomical plates have been compiled in this app. A good quick reference of study tool. Pocket Anatomy/Essential Anatomy: Moving into the third dimension, these two apps despite a premium price, a useful study tool for anyone interested in medicine. Muscle System Pro III: For the anatomical enthusiast wishing to see muscles in all their detail and intricacies. Premium. Skeleton System Pro III: For the anatomical enthusiast wishing to see bones in all their detail and intricacies. Premium. Brain and Nervous System Pro III: For the anatomical enthusiast wishing to see nerves in all their detail and intricacies. Premium. Radiology Radiology 2.0: One Night in the ED: A case-based radiological app that goes through the common presentations with a methodical approach. Clinical Medscape: A basic app that includes drug interaction calculator, a procedures reference and daily news in the world of medicine. Skyscape: A free app that includes a number of resources to help with clinical decision making. Designed to be a one-stop shop, you can purchase and subscribe to more features and resources within depending on your needs. Eponyms: For the medical student, half the battle is learning the language of medicine. Eponyms explains the common and obscure terms and signs of medicine named after their discoverers.  Bugs and Drugs: A reference tool for antimicrobial therapy, the dosing guidelines and the sensitivity tables of all antibiotics. PEPID: A clinical companion tool that provides summary information around conditions, include a brief explanation of the condition, the investigations, differential, and the treatment plan. Written in a concise form for the learner on the go. UpToDate: The clinical companion tool that is a favourite among the attendings. This subscription-based app comes in both an online or offline version and mirrors the desktop counterpart. Including in-depth review of disease states and clinical pearls surrounding therapy. DxSaurus: A differential diagnosis generator that works around your working diagnosis or the symptoms you see. Reference The Merck Manual: Professional Edition: A digital, pocket version of the original reference. Disease states can be searched by section or by symptom. Toronto Notes 2012: While not exactly an app, this textbook is an excellent reference for any medical student and is one that I read during quiet moments on shift. A digital copy of this textbook stays with me in my eBooks library. Principles and Practice of Hospital Medicine: This is also not an app but an eBook. An excellent reference for internal medicine, it offers great deal of information and clinical pearls for the hospitalist.  Tools Google Translate: For the moments where language is a barrier, this could be the only useful way to gather patient information. Flashlight: For the times on call where we do not want to disturb other patients in a dark room as we make our way around. Evernote: A note-taking tool to keep and sort out clinical pearls or to document clinical moments. Drive/Dropbox: A cloud-based service like Drive or Dropbox offers an opportunity to store algorithms, guidelines, or textbooks that you can access anywhere. Now available on your phone or tablet. Review USMLE World QBank: For the medical student preparing for exams, the QBank is an important resource to have. This list is by no means exhaustive but is a good starting point for readers out there interested in finding medical apps. What apps do you use?

As the popularity of smartphone of tablet computing expands, so too does the library of apps. The following is a list of iOS apps that might be of interest or use for the curious, for the learners, and for the clerks.

Laboratory

  • LabDx: A reference tool for common laboratory investigations.
  • Acid Plus: A calculator tool that helps tease out the type of acidotic or alkalotic process involved.
  • Lytes: A basic reference to the common electrolyte abnormalities, the causes, signs, and symptoms.

Calculators

  • BiliTool: An online tool that has an optimized mobile format, this tool helps calculate bilirubin levels in neonates and gives recommendations based on the risk stratification of jaundice.
  • Qx Calculate: A free calculator for many of the formulas and algorithms in medicine including risk calculators and unit conversions.
  • MedCalc Pro: A premium calculator that has a more streamlined design and more formulas than Qx Calculate. It also allows you to save patient values for use in multiple calculations.

Pharmaceutical

  • Lexicomp: The standard for monograph information, this subscription-based app includes routine updates to the drug database for newly added medications and warnings. It includes a drug interactions calculator.
  • Epocrates: For the free alternative, Epocrates continues to be a favorite among my classmates and attendings. It includes the standard dosing and regimens for medications but offers less detailed information regarding them compared to Lexicomp.
  • Micromedex: Another decent alternative that is updated regularly with the most recent warnings and medications. There is a basic free form with premium add-ons including the drug interactions tool.

Anatomy

  • Netter’s Anatomy Atlas: Netter is a household name in the world of medical illustrations and all of his anatomical plates have been compiled in this app. A good quick reference of study tool.
  • Pocket Anatomy/Essential Anatomy: Moving into the third dimension, these two apps despite a premium price, a useful study tool for anyone interested in medicine.
  • Muscle System Pro III: For the anatomical enthusiast wishing to see muscles in all their detail and intricacies. Premium.
  • Skeleton System Pro III: For the anatomical enthusiast wishing to see bones in all their detail and intricacies. Premium.
  • Brain and Nervous System Pro III: For the anatomical enthusiast wishing to see nerves in all their detail and intricacies. Premium.

Radiology

  • Radiology 2.0: One Night in the ED: A case-based radiological app that goes through the common presentations with a methodical approach.

Clinical

  • Medscape: A basic app that includes drug interaction calculator, a procedures reference and daily news in the world of medicine.
  • Skyscape: A free app that includes a number of resources to help with clinical decision making. Designed to be a one-stop shop, you can purchase and subscribe to more features and resources within depending on your needs.
  • Eponyms: For the medical student, half the battle is learning the language of medicine. Eponyms explains the common and obscure terms and signs of medicine named after their discoverers. 
  • Bugs and Drugs: A reference tool for antimicrobial therapy, the dosing guidelines and the sensitivity tables of all antibiotics.
  • PEPID: A clinical companion tool that provides summary information around conditions, include a brief explanation of the condition, the investigations, differential, and the treatment plan. Written in a concise form for the learner on the go.
  • UpToDate: The clinical companion tool that is a favourite among the attendings. This subscription-based app comes in both an online or offline version and mirrors the desktop counterpart. Including in-depth review of disease states and clinical pearls surrounding therapy.
  • DxSaurus: A differential diagnosis generator that works around your working diagnosis or the symptoms you see.

Reference

  • The Merck Manual: Professional Edition: A digital, pocket version of the original reference. Disease states can be searched by section or by symptom.
  • Toronto Notes 2012: While not exactly an app, this textbook is an excellent reference for any medical student and is one that I read during quiet moments on shift. A digital copy of this textbook stays with me in my eBooks library.
  • Principles and Practice of Hospital Medicine: This is also not an app but an eBook. An excellent reference for internal medicine, it offers great deal of information and clinical pearls for the hospitalist. 

Tools

  • Google Translate: For the moments where language is a barrier, this could be the only useful way to gather patient information.
  • Flashlight: For the times on call where we do not want to disturb other patients in a dark room as we make our way around.
  • Evernote: A note-taking tool to keep and sort out clinical pearls or to document clinical moments.
  • Drive/Dropbox: A cloud-based service like Drive or Dropbox offers an opportunity to store algorithms, guidelines, or textbooks that you can access anywhere. Now available on your phone or tablet.

Review

  • USMLE World QBank: For the medical student preparing for exams, the QBank is an important resource to have.

This list is by no means exhaustive but is a good starting point for readers out there interested in finding medical apps. What apps do you use?

Why Physicians Need to Write

I would argue that one cannot be a good doctor without being able to communicate one’s thoughts, knowledge, opinions, and analyses in writing.

I write for many reasons. One of them is to reflect on my day, to debrief on the moments that my colleagues and seniors impart on me. Another reason I continue to write is to keep the passion of medicine alive.

It is no secret that most of us lose our ability to empathize in third year, a year where we are exposed to the real world of medicine for the first time. We are young and impressionable and bad habits can quickly form if one is not careful. Our passion for medicine, as it turns out, is a fragile and easily corruptible entity; I try not to lose sight of that.

I write for these two reasons and many more personal ones as well. Why do you write?

The Satchel. Through thick and thin, my satchel has accompanied me through medical school. Initially, it strictly carried books and papers; now it is a repurposed bag for a clinical life. I talked briefly about what I usually carry with me in my first clinical pearl post. In response to Wayfaring MD’s post, I thought I would share what I actually bring with me. These are my standard issue items, with room for switching or adding more items as needed: Satchel Pocket evaluation forms: For clinical skills and procedures. Pocket Medicine: A compact book for diagnostics, investigations and laboratory values. Two clipboards: The first contains regular paper for note taking including pre-printed progress notes and other chart-related forms; the second contains preceptor documentations including more formal evaluation sheets, outcomes checklists as well as my weekly schedule. The notepad: Where I write and gather my patient information and keep the to-do list for the patients I am responsible for. Moleskin notebook: Where I keep rotation specific clinical pearls and other tips and tricks. Two pens: Always keep a back up pen. Always. Pen light: For the quick neurological screen. ID cards Three packs of lubricating jelly: Need to do a digital rectal exam or a bimanual exam? Gloves are everywhere but these are not. Access codes and contact list Juice box Two granola bars Pager: How I wish this could not be standard issue. Stethoscope: If I am not walking around with it around my neck, it goes back into the bag until its next calling. Other items that I will sometimes include are rotation specific pocketbooks, headphones, and my phone charger to name a few. To the medical readers, what do you carry with you? Tag your response with #what’s in your pocket.

The Satchel.

Through thick and thin, my satchel has accompanied me through medical school. Initially, it strictly carried books and papers; now it is a repurposed bag for a clinical life.

I talked briefly about what I usually carry with me in my first clinical pearl post. In response to Wayfaring MD’s post, I thought I would share what I actually bring with me. These are my standard issue items, with room for switching or adding more items as needed:

  • Satchel
  • Pocket evaluation forms: For clinical skills and procedures.
  • Pocket Medicine: A compact book for diagnostics, investigations and laboratory values.
  • Two clipboards: The first contains regular paper for note taking including pre-printed progress notes and other chart-related forms; the second contains preceptor documentations including more formal evaluation sheets, outcomes checklists as well as my weekly schedule.
  • The notepad: Where I write and gather my patient information and keep the to-do list for the patients I am responsible for.
  • Moleskin notebook: Where I keep rotation specific clinical pearls and other tips and tricks.
  • Two pens: Always keep a back up pen. Always.
  • Pen light: For the quick neurological screen.
  • ID cards
  • Three packs of lubricating jelly: Need to do a digital rectal exam or a bimanual exam? Gloves are everywhere but these are not.
  • Access codes and contact list
  • Juice box
  • Two granola bars
  • Pager: How I wish this could not be standard issue.
  • Stethoscope: If I am not walking around with it around my neck, it goes back into the bag until its next calling.

Other items that I will sometimes include are rotation specific pocketbooks, headphones, and my phone charger to name a few.

To the medical readers, what do you carry with you? Tag your response with #what’s in your pocket.

Tailored Presentations: Replies

  • Thumri: I like this post and think it is true, but from my experience, all of medical education is designed to help us avoid what you describe as the pain and shame of not knowing. I would be interested to know what you think would be a better way to summarize quickly and communicate about complicated patients.
  • ShrinkRants: ...I do wish standard medical practice were different. These tips, and the condensed presentations given as examples, are shot through and through with impersonal “objective” language. Such language hides the subjective nature of its collection. It works directly against any reflection on the discourses that shape what is included and excluded. It is all about knowing. The tips are offered in service of helping presenters look and feel knowledgable and avoid the shame of not knowing. The people the presentations describe are not present as people, as living breathing, hoping, fearing persons. They are reduced to a collection of facts, signs, and symptoms. This is not, cannot in this form be, “patient-centered medicine.” Until we as a profession change our everyday language, we will not be able to practice patient-centered medicine... (Read the rest at http://bit.ly/18M0bDz)
  • The shame of not knowing is pervasive but I would agree that it does not mean that it must remain an engrained part of this culture. There are positive ways of delivering feedback. It really depends on the doctor I work with. While subjectivity is generally excluded from these presentations, it helps bring the pertinent information to the forefront, the pieces that are most easily examined, investigated and followed. I always try my best to paint a picture of the person behind the presentation, to tell a story and not just a list of facts. From more descriptors to using a FIFE model to better understand this patient's subjective state, I try to keep them all intact, even if my audience is not completely interested. But the purpose is always to deliver concise presentation that informs enough for another doctor to draw his own conclusions and to do his job effectively. Having said that, some specialties simply do not lend well to subjective language at all in a presentation.

medicalstate

Trend of Drug Overdoses in the United States. While the interpretation of the data is somewhat imprecise and makes many assumptions and condensations, it is still shows a very concerning trend. Of course, prescribed medications plays a large part of this picture. As my attendings often say: “we, as healthcare providers, are the single largest supplier of medications, appropriately used and abused.”  Most of those within the pharmaceuticals category had unknown intent but a strikingly large number exacted unintentional self-harm. This is from such issues as drug interactions, improper dosing, improper medications et cetera. Death in this portion, perhaps greater than any other category here, is an avoidable outcome. What can we do as a health care system to curb this growing trend in prescribed pharmaceuticals? Is it a simple matter of education and systematic checks or can we do more? Discuss below.

Trend of Drug Overdoses in the United States.

While the interpretation of the data is somewhat imprecise and makes many assumptions and condensations, it is still shows a very concerning trend.

Of course, prescribed medications plays a large part of this picture. As my attendings often say: “we, as healthcare providers, are the single largest supplier of medications, appropriately used and abused.” 

Most of those within the pharmaceuticals category had unknown intent but a strikingly large number exacted unintentional self-harm. This is from such issues as drug interactions, improper dosing, improper medications et cetera. Death in this portion, perhaps greater than any other category here, is an avoidable outcome.

What can we do as a health care system to curb this growing trend in prescribed pharmaceuticals? Is it a simple matter of education and systematic checks or can we do more? Discuss below.

popsci.com