The Best 15 Free Android Medical apps for Doctors and Medical Students

The surge in mobile technology has revolutionized the medical field, offering healthcare professionals a plethora of tools to enhance patient care and streamline their workflow. Among these innovations, several medical apps have emerged as indispensable resources for clinicians. Here, we delve into a comprehensive review of the top Android medical apps that are making significant impacts in healthcare.

1. Medscape

Medscape is one of the most eagerly awaited apps for Android, providing a comprehensive resource for healthcare professionals. Since its release, it has rapidly become the number one downloaded medical app on the Android platform. The sheer volume of free content available on Medscape is staggering and continually expands with each update. The app includes over 7,000 drug references, more than 3,500 disease clinical references, 2,500+ clinical images and procedure videos, a robust drug interaction checker, Continuing Medical Education (CME) activities, and much more.

Medscape serves not only as an excellent drug reference app but also as a mini-textbook packed with protocols for various disease pathologies, making it an invaluable tool for quick reference and refreshing medical knowledge. While it may not be as detailed as the renowned Pocket Medicine Red Book, Medscape excels at providing clinical pearls for both common and less common pathologies. Additionally, the app features instructional videos and images for medical procedures, enhancing its utility in clinical practice.

2. Epocrates

Epocrates is widely regarded as an essential drug reference app, particularly in its free version. Its user-friendly features, such as the pill identifier, multiple medical calculators, and a comprehensive drug interaction checker, make it a favorite among clinicians and medical students. Recently, Epocrates announced support for its premium versions on the Android platform, expanding its functionality.

However, it is important to note that Epocrates is not available for Android users with older operating systems (version 1.5 or earlier), which may limit its accessibility for some users.

3. Skyscape

Skyscape has earned a spot in the top ten list of medical apps for two primary reasons. Firstly, until recently, it has been the only high-quality, all-in-one type app for Android. Many reputable Android medical apps, such as the Red Book and Netter’s Anatomy, have operated within Skyscape’s universal app. Secondly, Skyscape is compatible with all versions of the Android operating system, ensuring broad accessibility.

Skyscape offers healthcare professionals and students access to a robust selection of medical calculators (Archimedes), regularly updated medical news alerts, selected practice guidelines, access to paid textbooks (like Netter’s), and solid drug reference (RxDrugs) and disease monographs (Outlines in Clinical Medicine). For users with older Android operating systems who cannot access Medscape and Epocrates, Skyscape, which includes RxDrugs, serves as a fair alternative.

4. Evernote

Evernote stands out as an excellent organization tool, especially useful for healthcare professionals and students. The app’s ability to access and read PDF documents on the go, coupled with its other features like notes and image capture, makes it a valuable resource. These capabilities allow users to record atypical disease pathologies encountered in practice for future reference or even for preparing presentations.

5. Calculate by QxMD

Calculate by QxMD scores high for its aesthetically appealing design and smooth user interface. The app’s extensive collection of medical calculators is wide-ranging enough to satisfy the needs of most general practitioners and students. Each calculator in the app progresses through a series of screens, posing questions to determine the score or value of interest. This interactive approach enhances the learning experience without significantly slowing down the process. The inclusion of citations and PubMed links in the “More Information” tab is particularly useful for those keen on referencing medical literature.

6. MedPage Today

MedPage Today is a well-designed medical news app that effectively delivers relevant medical news to mobile devices. Much of the content is partnered with the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, lending credibility to the news articles provided. In addition to reading articles, users can access CME activities presented in text, video, and audio formats. The app allows users to specify their interests and preferences, ensuring that the news stories delivered are tailored to their subspecialty interests. The clean and simple interface further enhances the user experience.

7. Harvard School of Public Health News

The Harvard School of Public Health News app offers a surprisingly functional and useful platform for accessing news articles from the School of Public Health. While the articles link to the school’s website, the app excels in delivering educational audio and video content. The multimedia content, featuring some of the best minds in public health, is rich with valuable knowledge. The app also integrates deeply with Twitter, facilitating dynamic and interactive conversations around the content.

8. Monthly Prescribing Reference (MPR)

The Monthly Prescribing Reference (MPR) app claims to be the most widely used drug reference by clinicians. The app serves as a great mobile substitute for the print version, classifying drugs by treatment category. Prescribing notes and drug monographs provide useful information for clinical practice, making it a handy reference tool for healthcare professionals.

9. Standard Dictations

Standard Dictations is an app that simplifies the often tedious work of dictation for medical professionals, especially interns. The app offers basic templates for dictating various documents, from admission orders to discharge summaries, as well as numerous exams and procedures. While many Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) offer similar templates, this app can be a valuable resource for those working in environments without robust EMR systems.

10. USPSTF ePSS (Electronic Preventive Services Selector)

The USPSTF ePSS app, provided by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is a public health tool designed to assist healthcare professionals. The app allows users to input key demographic information about their patients to receive relevant screening and public health information. Much of the content is based on the recommendations of the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), and the app provides links to screening calculators and reference tools available online.

11. PubMed Mobile

PubMed Mobile offers quick and easy access to PubMed on mobile devices, making it a valuable tool for healthcare professionals and students who need to access the latest medical literature on the go. Users can search for and view abstracts, tag articles of interest, and share articles via email or social networks. Recent updates include links to PubMed articles in a browser and direct links to PubMed Central “PMC Free Articles.”

12. Ob (Pregnancy) Wheel

The Ob (Pregnancy) Wheel app may seem specialty-specific, but it can be highly useful for clinicians in primary care, emergency departments, and obstetrics. Medical students and residents rotating through OB/GYN or emergency departments will also find it valuable. The app offers numerous adjustable preferences and settings, ultrasound exam dating, and patient list management, making it a superior choice among available OB wheel apps.

13. Eponyms

Eponyms are often a challenge for healthcare students and professionals. The Eponyms app contains over 1,700 popular eponyms, serving as both a refresher and a reference material. This app is particularly useful for those looking to enhance their knowledge of medical terminology and pathologies named after key figures in the field.

14. Speed Anatomy

Speed Anatomy is a fun and engaging anatomy quiz app that offers a quick-hitting review of anatomical structures. Unlike comprehensive atlases like Netter’s Anatomy, Speed Anatomy provides a more interactive and gamified learning experience. The app is a great tool for students preparing for anatomy practical exams, offering practice exams that range from simple to challenging.

15. Calorie Counter by FatSecret

Calorie Counter by FatSecret is an excellent tool for healthcare professionals counseling patients about diet and exercise. The app is highly powerful, capable of looking up a wide range of food categories, including fast foods, grocery store items, and prepared foods. The barcode scanning feature allows users to quickly identify foods and their calorie content, making it an efficient tool for dietary management.

Conclusion

The advent of mobile medical apps has significantly enhanced the capabilities of healthcare professionals, offering tools that range from drug references and medical calculators to news updates and organizational aids. These top Android medical apps provide invaluable resources that help clinicians deliver better patient care, stay updated with the latest medical knowledge, and efficiently manage their daily tasks. As mobile technology continues to evolve, these apps will likely become even more integral to medical practice.

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Should be underlined which ones only works for those educated in usa.

 

great list , thank you

 

Thank you !

 

thank you
good list

 

very nice apps for doc

 

I need an ECG app. For learning and analyzing

 

Excuse me . How to applying those app?

 

thank you

 

Thank's so much,more benefit..

 

Thanks a lot

 

Why app MPR cannot use?please more information about that...

 

Thanks

 

Hi it's really a very knowledgeable information. Here i want to add one more apps for doctors & students called Drug A2Z., contains more than 50,000 brands & about 3,000 drug details with complete monographs. You can also download from Google Store:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cipl.trialdrugsa2z

 

Nice!

 

nice

 

Thanks very much