Abstract

Smartphones and professionalism: A cross-sectional study on interns and final-year medical students

The smartphone is a powerful tool that can be used to improve the health care system as long as certain checks and balances are implemented. It is commonly used by health care providers and medical students. A cross-sectional study conducted at Qassim University, Saudi Arabia. Final-year medical students and interns were included. A survey was distributed and divided into three sections: personal technology, experiences of using smartphones during clinical rotations, and attitudes about the usage of smartphones for clinical work. A total of 156 interns and students participated in the study. All of them owned a smartphone. Three-quarters of the respondents used their mobile for personal purposes, while 71.2% used them to look up medical references and resources. Respondents also used personal mobiles to keep in contact with team members regarding patient- (29.5%) and non-patientrelated issues (26.3%). Some 16% of participants did not have any security features on their smartphones. Over half the participants did not get proper instructions about using their smartphones from either their medical college or senior residents or consultants. There is a lot to be done in this area, as certain regulations need to be carried out to lead toward a world that is pro-technology, health centered, and safe.

• PDF