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UC Irvine's iMedEd Initiative is a 2012-13 Apple Distinguished Program
The University of California, Irvine has announced that its innovative medical education program based on the iPad as the sole learning tool has been chosen as a 2012-13 Apple Distinguished Program. Apple Distinguished Programs are ones that Apple feels meets the criteria of using Apple technology in an educational setting to provide "...visionary leadership, innovative learning and teaching, ongoing professional learning, compelling evidence of success and a flexible learning environment," according to UC Irvine. UC Irvine's program, known as The iMedEd Initiative, has existed since 2010 and equips new medical students with iPads that are loaded with medical textbooks, apps and podcasts of lectures. The university says that one of the benefits of the iPads is that students can interact with data from digital stethoscopes, bedside diagnostic ultrasound units and myriad other medical devices. Besides the increased learning capability the iPad offers, the university also says that iPad-based learning has increased test scores of virtually all students: "The first class participating in the iMedEd Initiative scored an average of 23 percent higher on their national exams -- taken at the end of the second year of medical school -- than previous UC Irvine medical school classes, despite having similar incoming GPAs and MCAT scores." For those of you interested in medical learning on the iPad, check back soon. I'll have a preview of a revolutionary new medical app that you'll be sure to want to get your hands on as soon as it becomes available. [Image: Steve Zylius / University Communications]
Muscle System Pro II shows the great potential of iPad apps
Mark my words: Muscle System Pro II will one day appear in an iPad commercial. It's that good. This is one of those apps that show you just how powerful the iPad can be. Muscle System Pro II by 3D 4 Medical is an interactive learning tool that allows the user to completely explore the muscular anatomy of the human body. It uses photorealistic 3D models that the user can control in real time. You can strip away muscle layer by layer, rotate around them, view different parts of the body from different angles, and that's just for starters. You can look up 433 of the major muscles in the human body. Rotate any part of the body around to see its anterior, superior, inferior or lateral views. Pinch to zoom in on a specific muscle, and you'll see just how detailed the 3D models are -- you can even see the direction the muscle and fascia fibers are running. When you tap on a muscle's pin (a marker labeling the muscle), a pop-up shows the muscle's name, its origin, insertion, what action it performs, its innervation and its arterial supply. Furthermore, you can add a note to the muscle to record your thoughts or comments about it. Muscle System Pro II isn't cheap at US$39.99, but this isn't your run of the mill app. This is a 3D powerhouse of interactive anatomy that every doctor, chiropractor, nurse practitioner and massage therapist should own, not to mention every medical student or anyone interested in human anatomy. When you use an app like this, it's easy to tell that tablets are not just the future of consumer computing, but of learning and medical reference as well. Check out the video after the break to see Muscle System Pro II in action.
Robotic patient aurally, visually informs you of its ailments
As if treating a mannequin that can bleed and even flat line on you wasn't stressful enough, researchers at Gifu University's Graduate School of Medicine are hoping to make your residency even harder to manage. A newfangled robotic dummy packs a potent artificial brain, as it can reportedly "respond verbally to questions about how it feels and move its body in ways that exhibit the symptoms of its ailment." The current prototype is modeled after a female who honestly looks to have had one incredibly rough day week, and while it wasn't clear if instructors could program the android to act out only a certain number of understood illnesses, we're sure the library of problems will grow with time. Currently, the bot is being trailed to see if it will indeed prove to be a valuable learning tool to eager med students, and if all goes well, it should "become part of the curriculum next year."[Via PinkTentacle]
