In addition, it replaces that grimy old book or reference card you’ve had sitting in your pocket since residency.

MediMath

Evan Schoenberg. v2.4 released February 2009. $4.99.

Written by a medical student from Atlanta, this all-in-one app brings together more than 130 commonly used equations, scores, scales, and criteria to your iPhone for instant access.

Perhaps 30-50 of the calculators are relevant to emergency medicine and, with the “favorites” tab, you can add your most frequently used modules for easy access. Oft-invoked but seldom calculated risk scores or mortality indices are now at the emergency physician’s fingertips, with real-time scoring and updating of the outcome of interest.

For example, every additional Wells Criteria risk factor you tap increases the probability of deep vein thrombosis at the bottom of the screen.

Rumor has it that if you e-mail the developer with a useful suggestion for a module to add, he’ll add it!

ACLS

DoctorCalc.com. v1.1 released November 2008. $4.99.

This simple application contains the basic Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) algorithms in the flowchart format we are all used to.

The program includes a hypothermia algorithm not present in most ACLS quick-reference cards but useful in the ED, especially in the winter.

The “Edema, Heart Failure, and Shock” algorithm is helpful but may be less widely applicable. The “Suspected Stroke” pathway reinforces National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke goals and criteria that are often difficult to memorize, with the notable exception of recombinant tissue plasminogen activator exclusion criteria.

This application is a useful overall tool when you need ACLS in a pinch.

Eye Chart

Dok LLC. v1.1 released October 2008. Free.

This application speaks for itself. This classic Snellen Eye chart is designed to be viewed at a distance of 4 feet, and looks sharp and bright on most iPhones. While not validated or perfect, this tool certainly is convenient in the emergency department, where Snellen charts can be scarce or inconvenient. Coincidentally, 4 feet is beyond arms’ reach of 99.9% of grabby patients.

Dr. Silman is a resident at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)–San Francisco General Hospital (SFGH) emergency medicine residency program. Dr. Lin practices emergency medicine at SFGH and is the associate residency director at the UCSF-SFGH emergency medicine residency program. Contact Dr. Lin at michelle.lin@emergency.ucsf.edu for comments or suggestions for other “tricks of the trade.”