Apps to support learning and professional development in the health professions

How do we decide which mobile apps to use to support learning and professional development in the health professions? Every year the number of mobile apps for health professions education increases exponentially and the quality ranges from expert-designed and evidence-based apps to apps that are little more than mobile versions of large question banks for standardized exams. In this chapter we will look at the purposes that mobile apps may fulfil including as reference, for interactive learning, and for assessment. From there we will look at some of the ways that we can evaluate the quality and usefulness of apps, either through published systematic reviews of apps or by using tools to self-evaluate mobile apps for our own purposes. We will then focus on specific types of apps including examples of apps that we have judged to be of good quality, and which are likely to have some staying power in the fast-paced world of app development. We will describe apps that may be used to support self-directed learning, to enhance teacher-student interactions, and that are linked to larger learning platforms. We will conclude with some thoughts and further considerations regarding the successful selection and implementation of health science educational mobile apps from both the student and educator perspective.