Smartphone and medical related App use among
medical students and junior doctors in the United
Kingdom (UK): a regional survey

Payne, Karl Frederick Braekkan; Wharrad, Heather; Watts, Kim

Abstract

Background: Smartphone usage has spread to many settings including that of healthcare with numerous potential
and realised benefits. The ability to download custom-built software applications (apps) has created a new wealth
of clinical resources available to healthcare staff, providing evidence-based decisional tools to reduce medical errors.
Previous literature has examined how smartphones can be utilised by both medical student and doctor
populations, to enhance educational and workplace activities, with the potential to improve overall patient care.
However, this literature has not examined smartphone acceptance and patterns of medical app usage within the
student and junior doctor populations.
Methods: An online survey of medical student and foundation level junior doctor cohorts was undertaken within
one United Kingdom healthcare region. Participants were asked whether they owned a Smartphone and if they
used apps on their Smartphones to support their education and practice activities. Frequency of use and type of
app used was also investigated. Open response questions explored participants’ views on apps that were desired or
recommended and the characteristics of apps that were useful.
Results: 257 medical students and 131 junior doctors responded, equating to a response rate of 15.0% and 21.8%
respectively. 79.0% (n=203/257) of medical students and 74.8% (n=98/131) of junior doctors owned a smartphone,
with 56.6% (n=115/203) of students and 68.4% (n=67/98) of doctors owning an iPhone.
The majority of students and doctors owned 1–5 medical related applications, with very few owning more than 10,
and iPhone owners significantly more likely to own apps (Chi sq, p<0.001). Both populations showed similar trends
of app usage of several times a day. Over 24hours apps were used for between 1–30 minutes for students and
1–20 minutes for doctors, students used disease diagnosis/management and drug reference apps, with doctors
favouring clinical score/calculator apps.
Conclusions: This study found a high level of smartphone ownership and usage among medical students and
junior doctors. Both groups endorse the development of more apps to support their education and clinical
practice.

Citation

Kingdom (UK): a regional survey. BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making, 12(121), https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6947-12-121

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Oct 30, 2012
• Deposit Date: Apr 3, 2014
• Publicly Available Date: Apr 3, 2014
• Journal: BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making
• Electronic ISSN: 1472-6947
• Publisher: Springer Verlag
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 12
• Issue: 121
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1472-6947-12-121
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/711707
• Publisher URL: http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6947/12/121