A Cardiology Handbook App to Improve Medical Education for Internal Medicine Residents: Development and Usability Study

BACKGROUND: At most institutions, internal medicine residents struggle with balancing clinical duties and learning opportunities, particularly during busy cardiology ward rotations. To improve learning experiences for residents, we helped develop a cardiology handbook app to supplement cardiology education. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to report the development, implementation, and preliminary impact of the Krannert Cardiology Handbook app on graduate medical education. METHODS: In June 2017, 122 residents at Indiana University were invited to download the digital handbook in the Krannert app. The Krannert app featured a total of 13 chapters written by cardiology fellows and faculty at Indiana University. Residents were surveyed on their self-reported improvement in cardiology knowledge and level of satisfaction after using the Krannert app. Residents were also surveyed regarding their preference for a digital handbook app versus a paper handbook. RESULTS: Of the 122 residents, 38 trainees (31.1%) participated in survey evaluations. Among all respondents, 31 app users (82%) reported that the app helped improve their cardiology knowledge base. The app had an overall favorable response. CONCLUSIONS: The Krannert app shows promise in augmenting clinical education in cardiology with mobile learning. Future work includes adding new topics, updating the content, and comparing the app to other learning modalities.