{"id":13273,"date":"2024-01-12T17:22:00","date_gmt":"2024-01-12T17:22:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.roshreview.com\/blog\/?p=13273"},"modified":"2024-02-07T18:12:45","modified_gmt":"2024-02-07T18:12:45","slug":"5-best-mobile-apps-for-medical-residents","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.roshreview.com\/blog\/5-best-mobile-apps-for-medical-residents\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Best Mobile Apps for Medical Residents"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Any resident will tell you that the first six months of your intern year aren\u2019t about learning medicine, but getting organized and learning how to be efficient. Of course, those things can be hard to achieve. Fortunately, there are lots of easy apps and tech that\u2019ll enable you to streamline and automate your day so you can focus on taking care of patients.<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
In this post, I\u2019d like to share some tech tips that will help you navigate the first year of residency. Here\u2019s five apps that\u2019ll enable you to hit the ground running as a new resident!<\/h6>\n\n\n\n
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My Favorite 5 Apps for Residency<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
1. AHA ACLS App<\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Massachusetts General Hospital and the American Heart Association teamed up to make a stellar app that guides you through code situations. It\u2019s called \u201cAHA ACLS\u201d and features four ACLS algorithms: cardiac arrest, tachycardia, bradycardia, and post-cardiac arrest care.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cardiac arrest algorithm is interactive, meaning you can tally how many shocks, rounds of CPR, and doses of epinephrine you\u2019ve given.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a snapshot of the app: <\/p>\n\n\n

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It also has drop down menus to explain dosages of other code medicines like lidocaine, amiodarone, bicarb, and calcium. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another tab includes a handy list of the \u201creversible causes\u201d of cardiac arrest which are known as the \u201cHs and Ts\u201d to help you think through a differential quickly and easily.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s what all that looks like: <\/p>\n\n\n

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Aside from informational tabs, there are buttons you can press to keep track of timing and how you\u2019re progressing through the algorithm. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, at two minutes of CPR, the counter will turn red and prompt you to reevaluate the rhythm. If it\u2019s VFib\/V-tach, you\u2019ll defibrillate the patient. When you do so, you\u2019ll press the shock button in the app to help you keep track of how many shocks you\u2019ve delivered. Then you hit the CPR button again, and the clock restarts the two-minute CPR timer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s a snapshot: <\/p>\n\n\n

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There\u2019s also an option to use a ticker that counts (out loud) at the pace of effective compressions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyway, this app only costs $2.99 a year and is well worth it. I highly recommend it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. MDCalc<\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Another must have app is MDCalc.<\/strong> It\u2019s available online but is also very convenient in app format. This tool is great for calculating all sorts of things you need on a daily basis. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My frequently-used equations include creatinine clearance for drug dosing, Free Water Deficit for hypernatremia (as well as a separate calculation for how fast you can run certain fluids to safely correct the abnormality), CHADS-VASC and HAS-BLED scores for new Afib patients, STOP-BANG for assessing sleep apnea risk, the Ganzoni Equation for repleting iron stores\u2026the list goes on and on! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As an IM resident, my frequently-used equations skew a certain way, but you can save \u201cfavorites\u201d for your most helpful equations based on your specialty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. UpToDate<\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

It should come as no surprise that my most frequently-used app in residency is UpToDate (UTD).<\/strong> Your residency program should pay for you to use the database, and many EMRs connect directly to it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are articles for every ailment, which are conveniently outlined by differential diagnosis, treatments, complications, etc. <\/strong>There\u2019s even a \u201cback to the basics\u201d section written in layman’s terms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can print out these helpful guides and hand them to your patients to help them better understand their disease or treatment. I use UTD daily, and find it especially helpful overnight when there are fewer colleagues around to ask for advice!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Lexicomp<\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Technically Lexicomp is part of UTD , but it warrants its own section. It\u2019s a database similar to UTD that\u2019s dedicated exclusively to drugs.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can find recommended drug dosing by indication type. For example, if you\u2019re ordering cefepime for a hospitalized patient, you can see what the antibiotic dosing is for pneumonia versus a UTI. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Furthermore, if a patient has reduced kidney or liver function you can find the adjusted doses very easily. It also lists common side effects, interactions, and pregnancy warnings. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. Doximity<\/a><\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Another must-have app is Doximity. Medical students may recognize the name because Doximity has a nice search tool to learn about different residency programs. It also has a somewhat controversial yearly ranking of them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

More importantly for us, Doximity is a great resource because it allows you to call patients from your cell phone without giving them your personal information.<\/strong> All you need to do is register your clinic or hospital contact information in the app. Then when you dial a patient\u2019s number, their caller ID will show your clinic\u2019s office phone rather than your personal number. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019ve personally used this feature countless times when I\u2019m chart checking at home and need to call my patients to give them test results. It saves me from having to go back to the office to use the landline or end up giving out my cell number to patients. Priceless!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Some Advice About Tech\/Apps for New Residents <\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s end with some general tech\/app advice that\u2019ll make your life as a resident a whole lot easier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s four things I wish somebody had told me when I was a new resident: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. It\u2019s good to have a dictation app.<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

The best known dictation tool in medicine is called \u201cDragon,\u201d but you should take advantage of whatever your institution has to offer. <\/strong>Many hospitals will have dictation microphones attached to computers that make the process effortless. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are also apps that include a recording\/microphone feature, so you can utilize the software at home. Many students and residents are faster with dictation than with typing, so this app has the potential to save you a lot of time on the computer, which you can then devote to patient interactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. Get the mobile version of your electronic medical record (EMR) system.<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll want to make sure you have the app version of whatever EMR your hospital uses.<\/strong> While using a computer (and ideally two monitors!) will always be superior, having chart access in your pocket can come in handy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A computer won\u2019t always be at your fingertips (I\u2019m looking at you, emergency department) so putting in quick orders from your phone is a great option. I also rely on my phone during rounds to pull up results that hadn\u2019t come back yet during pre-rounding, so we have the most current data when deciding on a patient\u2019s plan. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. It\u2019s good to have a scheduling app.<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

The most popular scheduling app among residency programs is called \u201cAmion,\u201d as in, \u201cAm I on call?\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This app lets you know what rotation you\u2019re on and when, as well as the call schedule.<\/strong> It\u2019s definitely worth having on your phone, and be sure to connect Amion to your Google calendar so that changes in it will automatically populate. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. Be sure you have effective study tools.<\/strong><\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Finally, medicine entails a lifelong pursuit of knowledge. As you progress through your career, learning the basics from STEP resources, Anki, and study banks will give way to attending specialty conferences and reading journal articles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ll focus on the former because as a resident you still have to pass STEP 3 and your board exam. Your life is more \u201con-the-go\u201d and you have less dedicated study time than you did as a medical student, so your study resources should be more mobile too. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m a big proponent of the Anki app, which syncs automatically with the version on your computer. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Also, if you use Rosh Review Qbanks, I highly recommend downloading the (free!) Rosh Review mobile app so that your question bank is at your fingertips.<\/strong> You can create custom exams, read up on certain subjects, and scroll through helpful pictures and diagrams, all on the go. It\u2019s a tool that\u2019s perfect for the busy life of a resident! <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Take a look inside the app:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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