Medical apps and online resources can make a significant difference in the performance of a house officer. Stepping into the clinical part of medicine can be both exciting and overwhelming. A house officer is burdened with endless responsibilities and long shifts.
In this post we will explore top apps and resources every house officer should have in their digital toolkit. These apps can help you have a smoother and smarter journey whether you are on your ward rotations or preparing for an exam.
Why Should a House Officer Have the Right Tools?
Before joining a hospital as a house officer, a medical student is expected only to have good marks in his college. But the moment he or she becomes a house officer they are expected to make clinical decisions promptly, document efficiently, communicate clearly with patients, and should keep up with the changing guidelines.
As an HO, you need fast and accurate sources of information. The tools that I am going to mention will directly have a great impact on your performance and patient care. Let’s dive into the best apps and resources that can act like a bridge between theory and practice for a house officer.
Medical Apps for Clinical Decision Making:
1. BMJ Best Practice:
This app is available on all the three popular platforms i.e. iOS, Android and Web. It is free to use under institutional access. It is often provided by hospitals and universities to allow fast and accurate access to information. BMJ Best Practice offers evidence based guidance and is used when one is unsure about the differentials, diagnostic approaches or treatment guidelines. You will find step by step management, drug interactions and procedures in BMJ best practice. To download the app click here.
2. Medscape:
A completely free medical app that requires only registration through an email is available on iOS, Android and Web. It is a go to app for many individuals because of its clean layout and reliable content. It provides up to date medical news, information about diseases, treatment options available and drug interactions. The best feature about this app other than being free worldwide is that is provides procedure videos and summaries the diseases. To download the app click here.
3. UpToDate:
A paid app, access to which can be availed at different teaching hospital is present on iOS, Android and Web. It contains rigorously updated articles, written by experts, give you reliable and refrenced answers at bedside. Using this app in your mobile phone when on round gives you an edge for choosing the appropriate management plans. To download the app click here.
Apps for Drug Dosage and Reference:
4. BNF (British National Formulary):
This app is available only on iOS and Android. It is free if someone has NHS login. In some countries health departments also offer free access to students. This app is essentially used for drug prescription, drug dosage, contraindications and interactions. This app is of prime importance for House officers working in pediatrics ward where precision is critical. The best part is that this app allow offline access, regular updates and a pediatric version called BNFc. To download the app click here.
5. Epocrates:
The basic version of this app is free, but in order to avail the premium features you need to buy it. This app is available on both iOS and Android. It gives excellent drug references with clear and concise information. It has a feature called pill identifier and medical calculator which can prove life-saving. To download the app click here.
Apps for Note Taking and Task Management:
6. Evernote:
A free app with premium features available on iOS, android and web is the best tool for a house officer to make notes. One can add a collection of notes, management plans, mnemonics for remembering difficult relationships, ward tips that one learned from senior doctors and other medical staff and checklist for evaluating progress. This app can be your digital brain where everything is in organized form with many reference materials and tips that you can share with our fellow house officers. To download the app click here.
7. Microsoft To Do:
Also called Google Keep is an app available on iOS, Android and web. It is totally free. As a house officer is entitled with many task this app can come in handy by allowing the house officer to manage ward tasks simply by making a to-do list in the app. He can keep a track of all the test a patient should go through or discharge summaries that he or she had to complete. With the use of this app you can organize your work and reduce any mental clutter. To download the app click here.
Apps for Communication and Collaboration:
8. Induction/ Pando:
A totally free app that is recognized by the name Pando is some areas is available on both iOS and Android. With the help of this app one can get easy access to hospital extensions, bleep numbers, guidelines and handbooks. Can be a lifesaving app when you need to contact a specialty team or if you want to check hospital protocols.
9. WhatsApp:
WhatsApp is one of the most popular app right now for communication worldwide. Though WhatsApp is not an official app, yet WhatsApp groups among house officers are very common and also incredibly helpful. WhatsApp is used for many reasons by house officers such as swapping shifts or sharing handover info (to respect the confidentiality).
Apps for Learning and Medical Education:
10. Geeky Medics:
Geeky Medics got their popularity from YouTube and now they have launched their app on both iOS and Android platforms. It is a perfect tool to ace OSCEs and clinical examinations. Even as a doctor you will have to go through these videos to refresh your memory on topics like how to perform ABGs, how to insert catheters or how to improve your history. Geeky Medics will get you covered. To download the app click here.
11. Amboss:
A paid app with free trials available on all platforms such as iOS, Android and Web. Amboss is a collection of questions with in-depth clinical articles. It has highlighting and overlay tools that are very helpful for clinical revision. To download the app click here.
App for Mental Health:
12. Headspace:
Medicine is no doubt one of the hardest subject to master. You are constantly handling critical situations which can have a negative impact on your mind. For headspace your mental wellbeing matters. Headspace is an app available on iOS and Android with free versions. This app help you manage stress, improve sleep and boost mindfulness especially during demanding situations. To download the app click here.
Conclusion:
As a house officer you are in pursuit of learning new clinical skills but you are also entitled with many responsibilities. Medical apps and resources can make your life easy. With the right tools you can elevate both confidence and clinical skills by accurately diagnosing and efficiently managing your tasks.
Apps like BMJ best practice, Medscape and UpToDate are good for your clinical decisions making. BNF and Epocrates are your go to apps for drugs dosage and interactions. Notion or Evernote and Microsoft To Do will help you in taking notes and effectively managing your tasks. Induction or Pando and WhatsApp are commonly used for communications and collaborations. If you want to study, Geeky Medics and Amboss will cover you like no other. With all these apps you need one that can ensure your mental well-being and that is where headspace comes into play.
Please share with us what apps you use that helps you in your ward rotations in the comment section below. If you liked this blog and want to know more about the human body go to my website Medrizz.com.