William Niehaus1, Sandra Boimbo2, Venu Akuthota3. 1. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO(∗). Electronic address: william.niehaus@ucdenver.edu. 2. University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO(†). 3. Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO(‡).
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Previous research on the use of tablet devices in residency programs has been undertaken in radiology and medicine or with standard-sized tablet devices. With new, smaller tablet devices, there is an opportunity to assess their effect on resident behavior. This prospective study attempts to evaluate resident behavior after receiving a smaller tablet device. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether smaller tablet computers facilitate residents' daily tasks. DESIGN: Prospective study that administered surveys to evaluate tablet computer use. SETTING: Residency program. PARTICIPANTS: Thirteen physical medicine and rehabilitation residents. METHODS: Residents were provided 16-GB iPad Minis and surveyed with Redcap to collect usage information at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Survey analysis was conducted using SAS (SAS, Cary, NC) for descriptive analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: To evaluate multiple areas of resident education, the following tasks were selected: accessing e-mail, logging duty hours, logging procedures, researching clinical information, accessing medical journals, reviewing didactic presentations, and completing evaluations. Then, measurements were taken of: (1) residents' response to how tablet computers made it easier to access the aforementioned tasks; and (2) residents' response to how tablet computers affected the frequency they performed the aforementioned tasks. RESULTS: After being provided tablet computers, our physical medicine and rehabilitation residents reported significantly greater access to e-mail, medical journals, and didactic material. Also, receiving tablet computers was reported to increase the frequency that residents accessed e-mail, researched clinical information, accessed medical journals, reviewed didactic presentations, and completed evaluations. After receiving a tablet computer, residents reported an increase in the use of calendar programs, note-taking programs, PDF readers, online storage programs, and file organization programs. CONCLUSIONS: These physical medicine and rehabilitation residents reported tablet computers increased access to e-mail, presentation material, and medical journals. Tablet computers also were reported to increase the frequency residents were able to complete tasks associated with residency training.
BACKGROUND: Previous research on the use of tablet devices in residency programs has been undertaken in radiology and medicine or with standard-sized tablet devices. With new, smaller tablet devices, there is an opportunity to assess their effect on resident behavior. This prospective study attempts to evaluate resident behavior after receiving a smaller tablet device. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether smaller tablet computers facilitate residents' daily tasks. DESIGN: Prospective study that administered surveys to evaluate tablet computer use. SETTING: Residency program. PARTICIPANTS: Thirteen physical medicine and rehabilitation residents. METHODS: Residents were provided 16-GB iPad Minis and surveyed with Redcap to collect usage information at baseline, 3, and 6 months. Survey analysis was conducted using SAS (SAS, Cary, NC) for descriptive analysis. MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS: To evaluate multiple areas of resident education, the following tasks were selected: accessing e-mail, logging duty hours, logging procedures, researching clinical information, accessing medical journals, reviewing didactic presentations, and completing evaluations. Then, measurements were taken of: (1) residents' response to how tablet computers made it easier to access the aforementioned tasks; and (2) residents' response to how tablet computers affected the frequency they performed the aforementioned tasks. RESULTS: After being provided tablet computers, our physical medicine and rehabilitation residents reported significantly greater access to e-mail, medical journals, and didactic material. Also, receiving tablet computers was reported to increase the frequency that residents accessed e-mail, researched clinical information, accessed medical journals, reviewed didactic presentations, and completed evaluations. After receiving a tablet computer, residents reported an increase in the use of calendar programs, note-taking programs, PDF readers, online storage programs, and file organization programs. CONCLUSIONS: These physical medicine and rehabilitation residents reported tablet computers increased access to e-mail, presentation material, and medical journals. Tablet computers also were reported to increase the frequency residents were able to complete tasks associated with residency training.