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Medical textbook goes interactive on iPad

As reported on the iMedicalApps blog:

Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology, a trusted textbook for medical student education, was just released on the Inkling platform. Inkling is a textbook application that was built exclusively for the iPad platform and features “interactive textbooks” — basically, bringing textbooks alive.

The interactivity in this textbook includes helpful features such as quizzes at the end of each chapter; a “test yourself” feature where labels on diagrams can be hidden from view, then revealed with a single tap; and step-by-step guided tours of various physical processes. The full price of the textbook is $64.99, or you can purchase chapters for $1.99 each. You can even annotate and search the textbook as you go.

The idea of being able to purchase a chapter at a time is not just a cost-saving measure. It is also a feedback mechanism for textbook writers and publishers. Whether faculty require students to read particular book chapters, or students buy them based on peer recommendations, quality texts that are clearly understood by today’s students (“millenials”, etc.) have the potential to redefine what is considered “best” in any given field or specialty.

Finally, having all your medical texts on a 1-2 lb. device will ease the physical strain for faculty and students alike who previously had to carry textbooks typically weighing dozens of pounds. You can download the free Inkling app from the iTunes store. The video indicates there is a “free chapter” available for test-reading. If you have an iPad, take a look, then tell us what you think!