Enhancing third-year medical clerkships: Using mobile technology for teaching and learning

The third year clerkship is one of the most exciting and challenging times for medical students (Cooke, Irby, & O'Brien, 2010) when students spend significant time in clinical settings (e.g., hospitals) assisting in the care of patients on a daily basis. Getting information and resources just-in-time and at point-of-care (Author, 2009) is one challenge faced by supervising doctors and students. Technology has long been used to assist in point-of-care decision-making (Burke & Weill, 2008); mobile technology has added value to this activity. In this study, we explore how mobile technologies (e.g., iPads) were being used to support supervising doctors and medical students. After completing full data analysis of year one of two, results indicate that the faculty and students benefitted from the use of the iPads during the third year clerkship.