title: Utilization and value of personal digital assistants on an epidemiology final examination.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The utility of personal digital assistants (PDAs) in basic science medical education is uncertain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Student outcomes on an epidemiology course final examination for academic years 2003 and 2004 were examined. Students were given permission to use PDAs on the final examination, and self-selected whether these instruments were used. Performance on the examination based on use of a PDA and whether students thought it was useful for the examination was compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 389 students took the final examination, with an 88% response rate to the survey questions. No statistically significant differences were found on final examination scores. No trends toward significance were found on analyses of the total examination, specific topical domains, or on specific questions where a PDA might be expected to be especially useful.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From this study, it can be concluded that use of PDAs and whether students thought they might be helpful had no measurable effect on performance on an epidemiology final examination. Further delineation of the possible use of PDAs in a basic science course and on the final examination is indicated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73104, USA. frank-lawler@ouhsc.edu
authors.forename: Frank H
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Lawler
authors.forename: Jim
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cacy
mesh_terms: D034201:Computers, Handheld / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004813:Epidemiology / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D009825:Oklahoma; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires