Being a pre-med student today is so much different from being one ten years ago. Back then, you had to rely on your own notes and class recordings for study. If you were really good at studying, you could go the extra mile by attending lectures from other schools or watching documentaries about how the brain works. But now? Now we’ve got apps that can help you organize, plan, and learn like never before.
Whether you’re looking for an app that will help you organize and budget your time, an app that will help you memorize your subjects, or even an app that will let you take a virtual tour of the human brain, we’ve got something here for everyone. So check out our list of the best apps for pre-med students below!
Table of Contents
Best Apps For Pre Med Students
The Best Pre-Med Study Tools
As a pre-med student, your study set up most likely has been disrupted due to the emergence of COVID-19. Now that most things are operating remotely, you’ve found yourself in search of the best pre-med study tools to help increase your productivity and enhance your preparation, whether for the MCAT or for any of your prerequisite classes. With thousands of apps out there, it’s not easy to find the best one.
Rather than going through and downloading every single MCAT prep app or pre-med focused program that exists on the App Store, it can be helpful to have a narrowed list of the best pre-med study tools. In this blog, we’ve just done that! Look through the following list to find the best apps that might benefit you. Scroll down to the second section to find more COVID-19-centric apps that could also be of use.
Apps for Use At Any Time as a Pre-Med and Onwards
The Premed App ($2.99 per month)
The Premed App by Motivate MD is specifically designed for students gearing up to apply to medical school. This first inclusion among the list of the best pre-med study tools stands out as it helps you understand the components of your medical school application, access its database of all the medical schools out there, and enables you to schedule and track your pre-med activities such as volunteering and shadowing. The Premed App further aims to increase your productivity with in-built tools such as “focus,” which lets you set daily study targets, as well as a goals progress sheet, which allows you to gauge areas of your application profile that need the most attention. Finally, the “MyMentor” option allows you to contact medical students and seek advice, all through the app.
Anki ($24.99)
Highly popular among both pre-med candidates and current medical students alike, Anki is a flashcard that appeals to everyone, as it can store over 100,000 cards with minimal issue. As long as you have an Anki account, you can use the app on Windows, Mac, and Linux computers, or on iOS and Android phones. If you need help with memorization, Anki has your back. You can use pre-existing flashcards or design your own, and even include sounds, video, images, text, mathematical symbols. The audio and video features are particularly helpful as they can assist you as you learn the pronunciation of a drug or a microorganism. Preparing for medical school often needs you to cram in a lot of important information — a tool like Anki can test you on your way to retaining it.
MDCalc (Free)
Up next on our list of pre-med study tools is MDCalc, an app developed by physicians to conduct calculations that are prevalent in a medical setting. The program provides users , including MD applicants, students, and professionals, with access to clinical decision calculation tools including risk scores, algorithms, equations, diagnostic criteria, formulas, classifications, dosing calculators, and more. MDCalc has been designed to enable people involved in the medical field with tools that result in more accurate and efficient decision-making. As a prospective medical student, whether you’re looking at a simple or complex problem, take advantage of the 300+ formulas built into the program.
MCAT Prep: MCAT Flashcards (Free)
Of all the pre-med student tools, the name for this entry speaks for itself. Your MCAT score is one of the most important components of your medical school application, and if you’re someone who studies better with the help of technology, I definitely recommend downloading MCAT Prep, a flashcard app by Magoosh. This program is different from other flashcard-based tools as it’s specifically designed to help you with the MCAT. There are flashcards on whichever section you need help on, whether it’s organic chemistry or physics. The program also features video tutorials that you can cover before taking practice tests.
Prognosis (Free)
Prognosis is an app that provides you with a list of symptoms, which you can use to identify and pinpoint the associated condition. Users love Prognosis as it uses bright images and colors in its approachable interface, making it one of the friendliest entries among this list of pre-med study tools. Since a lot of apps can be dull and dreary, Prognosis’ entertaining aspects can be a welcome change. Based on actual clinical cases, Prognosis provides you with access to over 600 different cases, as well as thorough explanations of why the answers point to a certain illness or condition. This is a great program if you want to be tested on your medical knowledge!
Medscape (Free)
An app brought to you by the creators of one of the best-known medical websites, the mobile version of Medscape brings you the latest news in the field, including a tailored feed based on your interest and specialty. Medscape also features the “largest network exclusively for physicians and medical students.” You can share any challenging cases, seek answers to questions, and gain access to professionals from all over the world. You can also take courses on one of the thousands of topics across more than 30 specialties and monitor your progress and credits, all through the app.
Noisli ($1.99)
If you’re in search of apps that can help boost your productivity – or even calm your nerves – Noisli helps block out unwanted noises and gets you in the zone to concentrate on your studies. Simple to use and compatible with both your computer and smartphone, you can play around with different noise settings, playing sounds of steady rainfall, blowing wind, coffee shop chatter, or even birds chirping in a forest. If you don’t want the distraction of sound , Noisli also has a white noise feature. It might take you a bit of time to figure out what works for you. You can also play different sounds at the same time if that better suits your productivity. So, if you’re looking for a stress relieving environment, or if you concentrate better with sounds of a coffee machine, go ahead and check it out.
New Programs Developed in Response to COVID-19
Alongside pre-med study tools that can increase your performance and productivity, prospective physicians should also be aware of technology created specifically during and for the Coronavirus. Below is a rundown of these new tools:
NOVID – This anonymous tracing app created by Duke students helps keep track of the spread of the virus. NOVID uses ultrasonic technology to accurately count your interactions, with precise distance measurement using Bluetooth technology. Whenever you’ve come in close contact with another NOVID user who’s tested positive, or has been exposed to COVID-19, you’ll receive a notification letting you know that you may have been exposed.
DocClocker – DocClocker allows patients to receive the real-time wait-time at medical providers, encouraging them to get an estimate of how long the line is, and avoid staying in medical waiting rooms for too long.
Covid-19 Risk Index by Carrot Health – The Minneapolis based company has created a predictor that indicates populations and communities that are most susceptible to the negative impacts from the outbreak.
Orion Health’s Remote Patient Management – Easily found on Orion Health’s website, this platform allows healthcare services to remotely monitor patients while in their own homes. It uses AI to identify the most-at risk patients.
Orbita COVID-19 Virtual Assistant – This chat bot offers easy access for people quarantined at home to ask Coronavirus-specific questions. Orbita developed this tool to assist the overwhelming demand for testing and screening at hospitals.
Now that you have a greater understanding of the pre-med tools out there, you can select the ones that are most likely to increase your chances of getting into medical school. Head on over to the App Store or Google Play as you prepare for the MCAT or if you simply just want to test your clinical knowledge. Good luck!
best pharmacology app for medical students
Physicians and other clinicians use a wide range of mobile applications in their practices, and prescribing apps are the most common.1 Most prescribing apps are tied to online pharmaceutical databases, the use of which can decrease mortality and the number and length of hospital stays.2 The scope, completeness, accuracy, and ease of use of various databases has been studied extensively.
This article focuses on six commonly used pharmaceutical apps that were reviewed using FPM’s “SPPACES” criteria. Key features, including interaction checking, drug monitoring information, dosing information, and pill identification, are summarized in a tabular format (see “Prescribing app comparison”).
KEY POINTS
Prescribing apps are the most common mobile apps used by physicians and other clinicians.
Physicians can use prescribing apps to choose the best medication for specific patient conditions based on efficacy, side effects, interactions, and other factors.
Some prescribing apps also provide easy access to medical calculators, pill identifiers, alternative medicine information, or education materials to share with patients.
PRESCRIBING APP COMPARISON
Enlarge Print
MEDSCAPE UPTODATE DRUGS.COM EPOCRATES CLINICAL
PHARMACOLOGY TARASCON
PHARMACOPOEIA
Antibiotic resources
X
X
X
X
X
X
Calculators
X
X
X
X
Dialyzability information
X
X
X
Drug interactions
X
X
X
X
X
X
Formulary information
X
X
Guidelines
X
X
X
X
X
Herbal interactions
X
X
X
X
Inactive ingredients list
X
Missed dose guidance
X
X
X
Monitoring parameters
X
X
X
Overdose treatment guidance
X
X
Pharmacogenomics information
X
X
X
X
X
Pill identifier
X
X
X
X
Pricing information
X
X
X
X
Rx images
X
X
X
MEDSCAPE
The Medscape app is a comprehensive resource for medications, diseases, and medical calculators.
Source: WebMD Health Corp.
Platforms available: Android 4.0.3 or later (http://bit.ly/2Nhe3ik); iOS 10.0 or later for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (https://apple.co/2PyVfN2).
Pertinence to primary care practice: Medscape is listed as one of the most commonly used medical apps in multiple studies.1,3 The app provides an extensive resource for clinicians, including data on more than 8,000 medications and 7,600 diseases or conditions as well as step-by-step procedural articles and image collections. It also offers a consult service that allows users to confer with other physicians on diagnoses and treatment options and provides continuing medical education (CME) for some of its activities. The drug interaction checker can compare up to 30 medications, herbals, or foods simultaneously.
Authoritativeness/accuracy/currency of information: The app was developed with the help of physicians, PhDs, and pharmacists and relies on the medication database RxList and pricing database WebMDRx. Studies have rated Medscape as the most comprehensive app for geriatrics4 and best overall resource for pediatrics.5 A 2016 study determined the app had the best interaction checker and dose calculator among the 59 apps reviewed.6 An earlier test ranked Medscape as having the most complete and accurate medical calculator.7 Medscape has been downloaded more than 10 million times and has won multiple awards. The app was last updated in September 2018 (iOS) and October 2018 (Android).
Cost: Free.
Ease of use: Finding information about dosing, interactions, side effects, warnings, use during pregnancy, formularies, pricing, and administration is quick and easy, and the search function has an autocomplete feature. However, users cannot search for medications and herbals phonetically. The procedures portion of the app is lengthy and not ideal for point-of-care use. There is no search feature in the conditions section, so numerous taps and scrolling are required. Users can bookmark frequently viewed articles. The app is available in English only.
Sponsor: WebMD LLC
Rating:
This is an essential app for identifying pills and is a good overall medical reference.
UPTODATE
UpToDate is one of the most widely used clinical decision support resources for medication and disease management.
Source: UpToDate Inc.
Platforms available: Android 4.1 or later (http://bit.ly/2P4uejq); iOS 8.0 or later for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (https://apple.co/2woQkFH).
Pertinence to primary care practice: Users can earn and track free CME credit by searching topics in UpToDate. They can also print from the app, email topics or graphics to patients or colleagues, and bookmark commonly viewed topics. The interaction checker can compare more than 50 medications simultaneously. UpToDate sets itself apart by providing overdose treatment, symptoms, and toxidromes for both medications and household products. It also offers monitoring parameters, a feature matched only by Epocrates.
Authoritativeness/accuracy/currency of information: The app, which uses pharmaceutical information from the databases of Lexicomp, Medi-Span, and Facts & Comparisons, claims that more than 1.3 million clinicians worldwide use UpToDate. Use of the UpToDate database has been associated with reduced length of stay and lower mortality.2 Ninety-six percent of the recommendations in UpToDate are concordant with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) framework.8 It was the top-ranked resource for pediatric hospitalists in 2015.9 More than 6,500 physicians are involved in the process of creating, editing, and updating the app’s information, according to UpToDate. The app was last updated in September 2018 (Android) and October 2018 (iOS).
Cost: Downloading the app is free, but using it requires a subscription to UpToDate Online, which also provides access via computer and costs $519 for one year, $929 for two years, or $1,229 for three years.
Ease of use: The app shares the same categories of information as the full website, but it requires quite a bit of scrolling. The medical calculators are complete and optimized for smartphones. The app is available in English and several other languages.
Sponsor: Wolters Kluwer Health
Rating:
This is an ideal resource for pharmacogenomics information and drug interactions, especially among oncology medications.
CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY
Clinical Pharmacology is an extensive medication database for use by clinicians and pharmacists.
Source: Elsevier Inc.
Platforms available: Android 4.0.3 or later (http://bit.ly/2NgdcOH); iOS 8.0 or later for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (https://apple.co/2NgjRIA).
Pertinence to primary care practice: Many local pharmacists use this resource for answering pharmaceutical questions. The app sets itself apart by listing inactive ingredients and is one of only three apps that describe what to do if a patient misses a dose. It provides pictures of various medications and specifies how to tailor doses based on gender, weight, and ethnicity.
Authoritativeness/accuracy/currency of information: This app, whose Gold Standard database is run by pharmacists, is used in more than 2,000 hospitals and 35,000 retail pharmacies. It was a top performer in the 2018 Best in KLAS report for clinical decision support10 and was rated in one study as the best database for clinical decision support.11 The app was last updated in December 2017.
Cost: Downloading the app is free, but using it requires an institutional subscription to Clinical Pharmacology.
Ease of use: The app is initially difficult to navigate but gets easier with familiarity. Compared with other apps, it requires more taps but less scrolling to view indications.
Sponsor: Elsevier Inc.
Rating:
The app’s nuanced information is primarily of interest to pharmacists, but this is still a great app for clinicians.
DRUGS.COM
Drugs.com has a multitude of information on diseases and medications as well as a symptom checker.
Source: Drugs.com
Platforms available: Android 4.4 or later (http://bit.ly/2P4j9im); iOS 9.0 or later for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (https://apple.co/2P1kt5m).
Pertinence to primary care practice: Drugs.com is the app version of a website that has more than 25 million U.S. visitors per month and frequently is the first website that appears in searches for certain medications. With the app, patients can use a symptom checker, record their medications in My Med List, and perform phonetic searches for medications. The interaction checker can track more than 50 medications and foods at once. Other unique features include its list of top 40 drug searches, drug popularity rankings, user ratings and commentaries, pregnancy safety warnings, alcohol effects and warnings, recent alerts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and a drug comparison tool. The drug comparison tool considers price, half-life, number of medication interactions, and disease interactions. Drugs.com is also one of only two databases with overdose treatment (UpToDate being the other database with this information).
Authoritativeness/accuracy/currency of information: The app has information on more than 24,000 prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, and natural products compiled from multiple sources, including Wolters Kluwer Health, Cerner Multum, Micromedex from Truven Health, the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, and the Physicians’ Desk Reference. Micromedex has been rated highly for clinical decision support,11 pharmacogenomics data,12 antibiotic completeness,13 and medication interaction tracking.14,15 Drugs.com provides monographs from the FDA and the American Hospital Formulary Service Drug Information as well as articles from the Mayo Clinic. A.D.A.M. Inc. supplies the app’s health encyclopedia, which was developed by physicians and is reviewed by a content review board of physician specialists. The symptom checker was created by Harvard Health Decision Guides, which draws on the expertise of 9,000 faculty physicians at Harvard Medical School. Many of the app’s underlying databases are updated at least quarterly. The app itself was last updated in May 2018 (Android) and September 2018 (iOS).
Cost: Free; removing ads costs $1.99 for three months or $4.99 for a full year.
Ease of use: Finding information requires a lot of scrolling because the data is compiled and not synthesized. This is compounded by ads placed within the text. Looking for medications by condition or class is a very useful feature. The app is available in English only.
Sponsors: The app is produced by Drugsite Trust, which is privately held and administered by two New Zealand pharmacists. The app is not affiliated with pharmaceutical companies, but it does feature pharmaceutical advertising.
Rating:
This is a free, unbiased resource for patients and institutions with limited resources to view medication information and check interactions as well as compare medications head-to-head with both objective and subjective data.
EPOCRATES
Epocrates is an exhaustive reference for medications, pricing, medical calculators, disease information, and herbal supplements.
Source: Epocrates Inc.
Platforms available: Android 4.0 or later (http://bit.ly/2wx5yse); iOS 9.0 or later for iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch (https://apple.co/2C2YlpM).
Pertinence to primary care practice: Epocrates is one of the most commonly used apps by both clinicians and medical students.16 Users can view national and regional health insurance formularies, coordinate care with HIPAA-compliant text messaging, and find specialists for consults or referrals in the provider directory. The app is one of the few to include safety and monitoring parameters. Unfortunately, it does not list the frequency of side effects by percentage for each medication. It does list off-label or prescription-strength uses and includes dosing recommendations found in generic monographs. Beyond medications, Epocrates also provides numerous guidelines that list key points organized by specialty. It also includes numerous calculators such as unit and dose converters, medical equations, clinical criteria, and decision trees. Note, however, that these resources are not searchable. Lastly, Epocrates offers picture quizzes and numerous tables featuring content based on Advanced Cardiac Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Glasgow Coma Scale, Beers List, Rapid Sequence Intubation, and other resources.
Authoritativeness/accuracy/currency of information: Epocrates uses a number of sources for its information, including GoodRx for pricing, MedCalc 2000 for calculators, and Therapeutic Research Center’s Natural Medicines Inc. for dietary supplements and natural medicines. The company claims its app is used by more than 1 million health care professionals worldwide and half of physicians in the United States. In studies, Epocrates was determined to have the best medication interaction accuracy.14,17 For depth and accuracy of antibiotic treatment recommendations, Epocrates was equal to Sanford Guide while outperforming Johns Hopkins Antibiotic Guide, 5 Minute Clinical Consult, and 5 Minute Infectious Diseases Consult.18 The disease references are created by the British Medical Journal group. Medications in the underlying databases are updated quarterly with herbals updated annually. New medications are not added until they become commercially available. The app itself was last updated in October 2018.
Cost: The basic app is free; Epocrates Plus, which allows users to search by disease, view ICD-10 and CPT codes, review herbal medications, and gain insight into lab values, costs $174.99 a year.
Ease of use: The interface is easy, and users can save favorites and write notes. The drug interaction checker can track 30 medications and herbals at once but is slower than other apps when adding medications. The app is available in English only.
Sponsors: Epocrates Inc. and AthenaHealth Service
Rating:
This is the best overall reference app, especially for looking up medication information and drug interactions and reviewing guidelines.
TARASCON PHARMACOPOEIA
Tarascon is primarily for viewing pharmaceutical dosing and indications.
Source: Atmosphere Apps Inc.
Platforms available: Android 4.4 or later (http://bit.ly/2NyjPw3); iOS 9.0 or later for iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch (https://apple.co/2NyjTfh).
Pertinence to primary care practice: In its printed versions, Tarascon is already a trusted resource for medication dosing information. The app includes data for more than 4,500 medications as well as some useful drug reference tables, a few calculators, and information from Consumer Reports’ “Best Buy Drugs.”
Authoritativeness/accuracy/currency of information: The use of Tarascon was primarily studied in personal digital assistants and rated as one of the top performers for sensitivity in drug interaction.19,20
The data is reviewed by multiple pharmacists, physicians, and PhDs as well as a peer-review panel of 50 clinicians of multiple specialties. It has no affiliation with any pharmaceutical companies. The underlying database is updated weekly, but the app itself was last updated in September 2018.
Cost: Free for 30 days; a one-year subscription costs $39.99.
Ease of use: The app features succinct descriptions, which significantly reduces scrolling. For each medication, the app lists information on cost, metabolism and excretion, and safety in pregnancy and lactation. The app is available in English only.
Sponsors: Jones & Bartlett Learning
Rating:
This is a great app for quickly finding FDA-approved and off-label use and dosing information for medications.
APP REVIEW CRITERIA
S — Source or developer of app
P — Platforms available
P — Pertinence to primary care practice
A — Authoritativeness/accuracy/currency of information
C — Cost
E — Ease of use
S — Sponsor(s)
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Rebedew is a family physician at Monroe Clinic in Albany, Wis., and a faculty member for the University of Illinois Rockford Family Medicine Residency.
Author disclosure: no relevant financial affiliations disclosed.
REFERENCESshow all references
- Franko OI, Tirrell TF. Smartphone app use among medical providers in ACGME training programs. J Med Syst. 2012;36(5):3135–3139….
- Isaac T, Zheng J, Jha A. Use of UpToDate and outcomes in U.S. Hospitals. J Hosp Med. 2012;7(2):85–90.
- Robinson T, Cronin T, Ibrahim H, et al. Smartphone use and acceptability among clinical medical students: a questionnaire-based study. J Med Syst. 2013;37(3):9936.
- Anthony Berauk VL, Murugiah MK, Soh YC, Chuan Sheng Y, Wong TW, Ming LC. Mobile health applications for caring of older people: review and comparison. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2018;52(3):374–382.
- Morse SS, Murugiah MK, Soh YC, Wong TW, Ming LC. Mobile health applications for pediatric care: review and comparison. Ther Innov Regul Sci. 2018;52(3):383–391.
- Loy JS, Ali EE, Yap KY. Quality assessment of medical apps that target medication-related problems. J Manag Care Spec Pharm. 2016;22(10):1124–1140.
- Bierbrier R, Lo V, Wu RC. Evaluation of the accuracy of smartphone medical calculation apps. J Med Internet Res. 2014;16(2):e32.
- Agoritsas T, Merglen A, Heen AF, et al. UpToDate adherence to GRADE criteria for strong recommendations: an analytical survey. BMJ Open. 2017;7(11):e018593.
- Beck JB, Tieder JS. Electronic resources preferred by pediatric hospitalists for clinical care. J Med Libr Assoc. 2015;103(4):177–183.
- KLAS Research. 2018. Best in KLAS: Software and Services. https://klasresearch.com/report/2018-best-in-klas-software-and-services/1253. Accessed Oct. 4, 2018.
- Clauson KA, Marsh WA, Polen HH, Seamon MJ, Ortiz BI. Clinical decision support tools: analysis of online drug information databases. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2007;77.
- Vaughan KT, Scolaro KL, Anksorus HN, Roederer MW. An evaluation of pharmacogenomic information provided by five common drug information resources. J Med Libr Assoc. 2014;102(1):47–51.
- Polen HH, Zapantis A, Clauson KA, Jebrock J, Paris M. Ability of online drug databases to assist in clinical decision-making with infectious disease therapies. BMC Infect Dis. 2008;8153.
- Kheshti R, Aalipour M, Namazi S. A comparison of five common drug-drug interaction software programs regarding accuracy and comprehensiveness. J Res Pharm Pract. 2016;5(4):257–263.
- Marcath LA, Xi J, Hoylman EK, Kidwell KM, Kraft SL, Hertz DL. Comparison of nine tools for screening drug-drug interactions of oral oncolytics. J Oncol Pract. 2018;14(6):e368–e374.
- Jebraeily M, Fazlollahi ZZ, Rahimi B. The most common smartphone applications used by medical students and barriers of using them. Acta Inform Med. 2017;25(4):232–235.
- Kim BY, Sharafoddini A, Tran N, Wen EY, Lee J. Consumer mobile apps for potential drug-drug interaction check: systematic review and content analysis using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2018;6(3):e74.
- Burdette SD, Herchline TE, Richardson WS. Killing bugs at the bedside: a prospective hospital survey of how frequently personal digital assistants provide expert recommendations In the treatment of infectious diseases. Ann Clin Microbiol Antimicrob. 2004;322.
- Perkins NA, Murphy JE, Malone DC, Armstrong EP. Performance of drug-drug interaction software for personal digital assistants. Ann Pharmacother. 2006;40(5):850–855.
- Clauson KA, Seamon MJ, Clauson AS, Van TB. Evaluation of drug information databases for personal digital assistants. Am J Health Syst Pharm. 2004;61(10):1015–1024.
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