May 17, 2008  

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The New Physician
  
AMSA Overview of Handheld Devices
Basic Questions| Software for Your Handheld | Other Online Resources

BASIC QUESTIONS

  • Why do I need a Handheld device for 3rd year?
    Possessing a PDA during the clinical years is now regarded to be nearly as essential as owning a stethoscope. You can put entire medical books and references all on this one little device. It also allows you to store Notes or "Clinical Pearls" that you make for yourself right there on the Handheld…no loose papers to keep up with! Among the various programs available to you (either free or for pay) are patient trackers, drug databases, and others that will make your life easier on the wards. Standard features on Handhelds include an address book, calendar, financial programs, and games.

  • What are the different add-on features that I can get for my Handheld?
    Any number of add-ons can now be procured for your PDA. These run the gamut from cell phones, GPS positioning devices, MP3 Players, pagers, wireless internet connections, digital cameras, even bar code scanners!! While these features can be purchased separately for most handhelds, a few come with integrated features. The most popular (and upcoming) features to look out for include the ability to play MP3s, surf the internet via WiFi, take pictures with a built-in camera, or even make phone calls from an integrated phone.

  • What’s the difference between a Palm OS system and a Windows system?
    Palm OS is the operating system first created specifically for the Palm Pilot brand of Handhelds. It was then integrated into all Handheld computers as the operating system. Based upon the success of PDAs, Pocket PCs utilizing Windows was released. These handhelds have provided a formidable challenge to Palm OS PDAs in terms of memory, processor speed, and graphics. The Achilles' heel of the Pocket PC, though, is the battery life. While they offer a more graphical interface, the poor battery life means that recharging needs to occur more frequently. Recently, the Palm OS PDAs have begun to catch up with the Pocket PCs in terms of the available processor speed and memory, while maintaining a superior battery life. It is generally regarded that a larger variety of programs are available for Palm OS handhelds than for Pocket PCs. When it comes time to make your decision, test out several models (makers) for each system to determine what you are most comfortable with.

  • Is it possible to upgrade the memory on my Handheld?
    Yes, and in fact, you should NOT purchase any Handheld that does not have upgradeable memory! For the purposes of any average medical student, you will need at least 24-32 MB of memory on your Handheld. The standard memory for most of the Palm OS devices is anywhere from 2-64 MB with expansion slots for additional memory. Most Windows devices come with a standard 32-64 MB memory as well as the ability to expand. Since you will be using this device for at least 2 years (M3 & M4 years), it is important that you have the ability to expand your memory to accommodate all the programs you may wish to use. There has been a trend over the past years of increasing file sizes for medical related programs.

  • Should I get a color Handheld or stick with the traditional black-and-white models?
    This is really a matter of personal preference. Obviously the color versions are much more aesthetically pleasing, but you will pay for the added benefit. The black-and-white versions really have more of a gray/green look to them. If you are going to take pictures or store JPEG images on your Handheld, you may want to get the color version. However, make sure you have adequate memory to store those photos!

  • When should I look toward buying one of these Handhelds?
    While opinions vary, there are many students who purchase a handheld at the beginning of medical school (M1 year) to help them stay on top of their coursework and other activities. Some students purchase their Handheld during 2nd year, often at the beginning of 2nd semester. This allows you a full 4-6 months to learn how to operate the device as well as to become comfortable using it on a daily basis. This also allows you time to see what types of files or programs that you want to purchase for it. Keep in mind that there are also many files/applications that you can download for free from a multitude of internet sites specifically designed for Handhelds. You can wait until the summer to get your Palm, but you may not have much time left after you take Step 1 to really prepare for your 3rd year. You don't want to find yourself in the situation of just trying to figure out how to be a 3rd year student AND trying to figure out how to turn on that darn Palm!!

  • So, what are the most popular types of devices so that I can begin looking to purchase one?

    Palm OS systems
     Handera
    PalmOne*
    Sony

    * When looking at the Palm brand, be aware that the older versions DID NOT have memory expansion capability. Therefore, you may find a really cheap Palm Pilot, but it will only have 8 MB of memory and you have no way to increase that---don't waste your money!!

    Windows systems
    HP/Compaq Ipaq
    Cassio Cassiopeia

  • So what do I need to consider when looking to purchase a Handheld?
    You need to look at several things:

    1. Which operating system are you most comfortable with? (Windows vs. Palm OS)
    2. Memory expansion capability
    3. Color vs. B&W
    4. Additional features (MP3 player, camera, WiFi, etc.)

    To find out which handheld is best for you, you should do some research into all of the Palm devices using the criteria listed above. You can get online to sites like www.cnet.com or www.zdnet.com to do some comparison shopping. These sites include objective reviews of these products with pros and cons listed. You can also get online to price compare many of these devices. This will let you know whether you want to purchase the Handheld locally or through an online source.

  • So what is all of this going to cost me?!?!
    Well that depends on what you want in terms of those features listed above. For Palm OS handhelds, prices run from $100 for a basic, non-expandable PDA to ~$500 for a top-of-the-line PDA. Windows Pocket PCs are a bit pricier with average prices from $200 to ~$600. Once you have decided what features you would like to have on your PDA, you can find a model that will fit your budget.

  • Can I get any assistance from Financial Aid for the purchase of one of these?
    Many schools have financial aid programs which allow you to request loan money for the purchase of a computer and/or handheld. Check you with your school's financial aid office for the full details.

  • Is there any way to arrange mass discounts on handhelds?
    Yes!! Check out AMSA's group buy program.

SOFTWARE FOR YOUR HANDHELD

The following is a list of items that most MS3’s have found to be the most helpful in the first few rotations of the 3rd year. What you download, however, is really a matter of preference. Listed below are those things that are "Essentials" and those things that are "Helpful." Additionally, there is a list of websites that have programs for download via the internet.

Essentials

1. ePocrates
ePocrates Rx(R) is a free standard application for Palm devices synchronized with a Windows computer. It includes over 3,000 drugs, MultiCheck(R) drug interaction checker, and health plan formularies.

ePocrates Rx Pro (TM) is their premium subscription product which is compatible for Palm/Win, Palm/MAC and Pocket PC. As well as the standard components of Rx, it also includes 400 alternative medicines, MultiCheck with alt meds, MedMath, ePocrates ID(R) infectious disease treatment guidelines, and 60 clinical tables. 70% of all U.S. Medical Schools are currently enrolled in the ePocrates student discount program which enables students to obtain 50% off a 1 yr. subscription to ePocrates Rx Pro.

2. Document Reader
If your handheld doesn't come with a document reader (e.g. Palm m500 series comes with "Documents to Go" for free), you will need to purchase some kind of document reader to read many of the files you can download for free from the internet; it doesn't really matter what kind you get, but you will need one or else you will start downloading all of these really useful files and you won't be able to access them on your Palm!! Download one now.

3. Database program
You will probably need some sort of database program, not only to make your own databases, but because some of the really useful free files are in database format. The one that many have found useful is HanDBase. There are many of these programs to choose from. The nice thing about HanDBase is that you can get a 30-day free trial to see if you like it.

4. AvantGo
This program allows you to download various internet pages to your palm each time you hot-sync. For example, you can set it up to put the New York Times website on your handheld each morning when you hot-sync and you can then read the New York Times on the go.

Helpful

1. Hi-Note
This program is useful if you begin downloading or creating your own "Clinical Pearls" on your built-in Memo program. This allows you to place the items in a hierarchical order and also allows increased numbers of categories. This also has a 30-day free trial.

2. Peripheral Brain
This is a compilation of Memo files (300+) with a lot of useful information on differential diagnosis, mnemonics, you name it. This list is pretty big, and is the primary reason you may want to get the Hi-Note program listed above.

3. Eponyms
This program is very helpful on the Wards when someone refers to Murphy's Sign vs McBurney's Point vs McMurray Test. All of those terms begin running together at some point.

4. Mnemonics
This program is very useful, as it has a lot of really good mnemonics for clinical use.

5. Patient Tracker
There isn't really any outstanding patient tracker program out there, but if you want to try one out, this one's not too bad. This is useful to input patient data. The only downside is that it is time consuming. This is a free product, so download it anyway to see if you like it.

Please note that there are many other programs you might find useful. They are found on a multitude of websites and you will need to do a little "trial and error" searching to find them.

OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES

The following is a partial list of helpful handheld websites that will help you get started in downloading useful programs/applications/files for your handheld.

 

 
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