Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Resident Use of iPad Mini Mobile Devices

BackgroundPrevious 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.ObjectiveTo evaluate whether smaller tablet computers facilitate residents' daily tasks.DesignProspective study that administered surveys to evaluate tablet computer use.SettingResidency program.ParticipantsThirteen physical medicine and rehabilitation residents.MethodsResidents 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 MeasurementsTo 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.ResultsAfter 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.ConclusionsThese 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.