Abstract
Introduction Information and communication technologies (ICT) are practical and highly available tools that combined with the vast amount of knowledge available in the web have several implications in everyday life, including education. In medical education, ICTs allow physicians to update their knowledge and remember basic information within the reach of current mobile devices. However, few authors have studied ICTs as preparation tools for medical education and, to the best of our knowledge, none has been reported for medical students in Mexico.
Methodology To assess the use of mobile devices as ICTs with medical education purposes, we distributed a questionnaire through an online survey management system to all the medical students (n=215) from a private university in Mexico City, and 83% agreed to participate in the study. We developed the questionnaire based on previous surveys and adapted it to the particular conditions of the university.
Results All participants reported possession of an electronic mobile device and 95% of them use it regularly for learning purposes. Regardless of the school year, the most frequent usage given to these devices was the search and reading of medical articles and pharmacologic information, use of medical calculators, and taking notes.
We observed that as the students advanced in school year there was a reduction in the use of electronic devices with an inverse correlation between higher career levels and the use of electronic devices. According to the students, the main barriers towards using mobile devices for learning purposes were both the lack of access to the internet and of permission from the professor to use them.
Conclusion Most medical students use mobile devices for learning purposes, but usage changes during the course of their education. It is convenient to encourage the use of mobile devices and development of ICT skills as tools for educational purposes rather than banning their use in schools and hospitals.
