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Survey of handheld computing among medical students
Michael A Grasso1, M Jim Yen, Matthew L Mintz
1Department of Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 South Greene Street, N3E09, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. mgras001@umaryland.edu
Computer Methods and Programs in Biomedicine
|May 16, 2006
Summary
Medical students increasingly use handheld computers for personal and clinical tasks. Future use is predicted to rise, though satisfaction may decrease with experience due to unmet expectations and limited institutional support.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education Technology
- Digital Health Adoption
- Clinical Informatics
Background:
- Handheld computers, including personal digital assistants (PDAs), offer potential benefits for medical education and clinical practice.
- Understanding student adoption patterns is crucial for integrating technology effectively into medical curricula.
- Previous research has explored technology use, but specific trends in medical student PDA utilization require further investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify trends in the utilization and acceptance of handheld computers (personal digital assistants) among medical students.
- To analyze usage patterns during both preclinical and clinical training phases.
- To assess factors influencing user acceptance and satisfaction with handheld computer technology.
Main Methods:
- A survey was administered to 366 medical students.
- Data collected included computer expertise, current handheld computer use, predicted future use, and user acceptance.
- Statistical analysis was performed to identify trends and correlations.
Main Results:
- Preclinical students primarily used handheld computers for personal applications.
- Clinical students utilized them for drug references and clinical calculations.
- All participants predicted significantly higher future use across a broader range of medical applications, independent of current satisfaction.
- Increased clinical experience correlated with lower user satisfaction, indicating unmet expectations.
- Lack of institutional support was identified as a significant limitation to adoption.
Conclusions:
- Medical students show a clear trend towards increased handheld computer adoption for both educational and clinical purposes.
- User satisfaction is influenced by clinical experience, suggesting a need for better alignment between device capabilities and user expectations.
- Addressing the lack of institutional support is critical for maximizing the benefits of handheld computing in medical training.
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