How many of you guys use a PDA on a daily basis? I heard they have a lot of cool programs out there like Epocrates and other software that allows you to see ECGs and echocardiograms right on your PDA. Do you think it would be a good idea to get a PDA for rounds and for my professional life afterwards?

I am currenly looking at the iPhone 3G. I heard that you can buy it unlocked from Apple and then take it to whichever service provider you want (tho you have to pay more for the unlocked version). Would you guys say it would be a good investment to buy the iPhone for medical purposes? If not the iPhone, could you recommend some good smartphones like the Treo line or the Blackberry line?

when my computer broken down I used it to look up dirty photos and videos. It helped me through the day. PDA can be useful on rainy days.

Did I just read you complaining about low teaching quality at Ross in some other thread? lol..

btw: I think hp also makes some pretty good pda phones. might wana check them out.

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If you aint got it in your genes, sweat it out.

dell axim is a nice pda only, no phone attached. most all (except palms) use windows mobile. neat program you can put your power points on there as well. and yes epocrates is great! there is a free and pay version, obviously you get a lot more out of the pay version. best of luck figuring this out

You did indeed. And I do have an HP.

Some find them useful whilst some swear by using the paperback pocket medicine and/or other internet resources. The problem is, those that don't have a PDA can't look up something on the fly while the attending is busy talking to a pt's family.

He may turn to you and ask, "What is pulsus paradoxus?" while in a pt's room, and you may have just been told what it was yesterday but were dazed/not paying attention at that time, and if you don't produce the correct answer in front of the attending, the pt, pt's family (with whom you've spent days building rapport and trust), and the residents and other med students on rounds, then you may be branded a FOOL for life. Thats where the PDA comes in handy: you bust it out (if it isnt out already), and quickly type in "pulsus paradoxus" in your Tabers dictionary while the attending suddenly gets distracted by the pt's family member asking him/her a question, read, then answer in confidence, saving the day and your reputation, because quite honestly, you will be QUITE surprised by whichever of your medical colleagues you re-unite with in the future, whether they're attendings, residents, co-med students, nurses, PA students, etc.

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Good luck.

you can't buy the iphone unlocked from apple.. you might do so at your own risk, because apple will lock your phone with software upgrades..

I thought the new iPhone 3G was supposed to be unlocked by Apple as far as software goes. Previously, only Apple could make software for the old iPhone but the new iPhone 3G will allow 3rd party software makers to create software for the iPhone like Epocrates. Am I wrong in that thinking?

Having the iPhone solves a lot of problems for me. Its a phone, an MP3 player, can play movies and videos, can surf the net, can chat online, and can be used while on rounds too. It also has a 2 megapixel camera/video recorder so it saves having to carry a lot of little devices. That is very appealing to me. Anyone have any info?

'Unlocked' usually refers to what service providers can be used with a phone. The iPhone can be used with AT&T (cingular), but can be unlocked for other service providers butwith the risks shutterbugmd was talking about.

even if you do unlock an iphone, you must know this: the 3G network from at&t is a different frequency than t-mobile's 3G, so you can't use the 3G capabilities.

Anyway, the only program I know of for the iphone is EpocratesRx. There's a netter's available now but who needs that.