The mobile app market is growing for the medical industry. More physicians and medical students are using their mobile devices to access medical information, gain training, and do research on presented symptoms in order to make a proper diagnosis. Medical schools have even supported certain mobile apps, recommending their students download and use certain ones in order to foster their learning. However, some schools aren't just making suggestions, they're making apps themselves.
Why would schools, already burdened with time management, get into app development? It's all about expanding their students' education and giving them more specialized learning opportunities. While apps can be vetted for correct information before being recommended to students, they have to be constantly monitored in case misinformation in later updates. Medical schools who are in charge of that information release themselves would be assured that the information their students are receiving is accurate. Thus, medical schools become the creators.
Additionally, there arises a need to make apps that are targeted to specific populations. Medical students at one university will be abiding by curriculum that is not necessarily the same as another university. With generalized apps, the educational supplement provided might not focus on the specific needs of the curriculum. However, when universities take over that development, they can craft apps that focus on what's important to their student population.
The mobile medical industry is expanding and incoming medical students are utilizing all the latest technical developments in order to foster their learning. When medical schools get involved in that process, it means that students can get the best and most targeted learning available, turning them into prepared and successful physicians.
Great post! My school just did this. I have been looking over your blog and really like the articles. I am currently working on a web project to compile resources for medical students on one site. I would like to add your articles to the site via ATOM/RSS feed. Check it out at MedStudnetSource.com
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment. Glad we could be a resource for the medical student population.
DeleteI think the best outcome is when there's a collaboration between academic institutions and technology companies.
ReplyDeleteWith all due respect to universities, they don't usually have the agility and drive to launch a product fast and with high quality, and the decision-making process and stakeholder management often drags things down. On the other hand tech companies don't usually have the academic background and ability to validate the content and end-up with low-quality product.
At kenHub, we are developing an Anatomy learning platform in collaboration with the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin. This gives us the best of both worlds - technology expertise and vetting and validation for content. Students and staff are both happy. It's still early days for us, but it's looking good.