Blackberry/Palm/PDA???

[christinharless]

I was thinking about purchasing a Blackberry so I can get the email on my cell phone, but then was considering the Palm so that I can put the medical software on it. What is your opinion of PDAs and the medical software, useful or an unnecessary waste?

Thanks

[corangey]

pdas are awesome. I've used it a lot during 3rd yr to look up stuff when I'm standing around, and residents have actually asked me questions that I've answered through the pda. I have a dell axim X51v with epocrates, merck medicus, and diagnosaurus on it. there's maybe more stuff you can get for free on a palm, but I've done fine with those 3 programs. I have to admit though, it would be nice to have internet access if you get one of those treos or whatever it may be, since at metro and UH there's no wireless. ccf has wireless though. it's up to you.

[wayne]

Hi Christin,

I'm a current first year and a Palm user (old Treo 600, without internet). Some of my thoughts:

* I love using my Palm, but it's mostly because I like gadgety things and like having an electronic calendar/datebook always with me. My Palm is my phone, datebook, note taker, checkbook, password database, alarm clock, and occasional time waster (e.g. an occasional game here and there). It works really well for me, and I find it really useful/indispensible, BUT it's definitely not for everyone. Most people in my class get along just fine without fancy handheld gadgets. Make sure you will actually use it and it fits your lifestyle before dropping a few hundred bucks on a device that will end up being a fancy paperweight.

* As for email, Blackberry's aren't really necessary when you're on campus, I think. You will have WIFI access wherever you are on campus, and believe me, you will be on your laptop a LOT, so you won't ever be far from email access. Of course, it's a different story when you're off campus or without WIFI access and would like to check your email. So i guess it depends on how important instant email access is to you.

* To add to corangey's thoughts, I can definitely see how pdas/palms will come in handy when you are on the wards. There are a TON of medical software out there for both Palms and windows-based PDAs. However, honestly, those software are pretty much useless your first two years of med school. I used to have some on my palm. I found that I never used them, since I never needed instant access to info, or I already had my laptop with me. I'm sure it'll be different when I'm in my clinical years and am no longer attached to my laptop.

* Like you mentioned, blackberries have less (if any) options in terms of medical software. Palm and Windows-based PDAs have more options, although I believe there is more freeware for Palm.

* Price is also an issue. Corangey mentioned WIFI, which is standard on windows-based PDAs and some Blackberries, but not on all Palm devices (e.g. it's available on the TX and Lifedrive, but missing in the Treo). Internet by WIFI is great and often free, but not all hospitals have it. Blackberries require a Blackberry-specific service from your cell phone provider, which is a monthly charge (maybe $10-20?). And full-fledged internet (data) service on your cell phone is usually a more expensive, depending on your carrier and speed ($15-40?). That's the Treo option corangey mentioned, although I don't know if data/blackberry service is also blocked at hospitals that block cell service (at least I assume they block cell service... my cell phone always gets really poor reception when I enter UH).

I don't know if that helps. Feel free to ask more questions!

Wayne
CSR Tech Rep

[cet12]

Hey there,

I know you were asking about which devices are good for email and medical programs but I just wanted to add another dimension to the thread. I had a PDA and not once did I use it on the wards. And I did fine. Extremely fine. I know other people who similarly did not have/use their handhelds and they also did well. I guess my point and reason for posting is that I wouldn't want new students to think that having a handheld is necessary for the wards because it isn't and for some people it might just be a waste of money.

~Christie

[jms132]

I'm in the same position right now. I want to upgrade my phone and have been looking at the blackberries and treos. Treo's don't really have me too well convinced since I've been reading a lot of mixed reviews, particularly with battery life -- the only reason why I would see myself getting a Treo would be to be able to have a epocrates and such for later on.
Christie's insight into not having a pda during the wards helps a lot. any other people with such (or the opposite) experience?

[jsluo]

I have been beta testing the Epocrates product on the Blackberry Curve. As a longtime user of Epocrates on the Palm OS platform, I can say that using Epocrates for drug lookup and drug interaction check is integral to my daily practice. Since push e-mail has become more integral to many of us at work in order to address administrative issues such as scheduling, I had to carry both my Tungsten C and my Blackberry. Now I can have what I really use in just one device, the Blackberry 8300. It works really easily, and I don't miss the touch screen on the Tungsten C since the miniature scroll ball on the Curve works. As many hospitals have switched to having computers widely available on the wards for use, it has been less necessary to have a bunch of medical software on the handheld device. I found that I was mostly using my PDA for Epocrates anyway, and less for lookup of medical information. In fact, when you get a data plan for the Blackberry, there are many services such as Merck Medicus, Pubmed, and a few others that you can access information via the Blackberry browser. I didn't even bother re-installing titles from Skyscape on my Palm even though now they have them on Blackberry since I found that I just wasn't accessing that information much, such as DSM-IV and psychopharmacology texts.