Medical Reviewer: Jordan P. Roberts, PA-C
3 Best Medical Apps to Buy with Your CME Money
The deadline for spending your CME stipend is quickly approaching. Here are the 3 most useful medical apps to spend it on before it's gone
Time-Saving Medical Apps for the Busy Clinician
What you choose to buy with your CME stipend is an important decision. And while the pandemic has in some ways limited your options for CME, in others it has expanded them.
There are so many effective ways to spend your CME money, from CME subscriptions with gift card offers to planning for unconventional and unique CME opportunities you never knew you wanted to do.
However, investing in your continuing education with a tool that makes your life easier at work is never a bad idea. Point of care medical apps are a no-brainer for most healthcare professionals.
There are hundreds out there, many free, some paid, and some in between, with ‘freemium’ characteristics.
We are going to cut through the clutter and cover just 3 today. If you want a more complete list of point of care medical apps, we have that too.
The first two offer CME with free gift card options, (not on receipt), CME subscriptions, and more.
I’m a big fan of CME with gift card options because they make it easy for you to upgrade your phone or get a new device on which to use your new medical apps.
Or buy anything else you want. It’s your life, you do you.
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1. MDCalc
MDCalc is a free app with hundreds, if not thousands, of medical calculators that are all 100% free to use. So why – and how- would you spend your CME money on this?
Well, MDCalc now offers CME on select calculators, with more and more calcs becoming CME-eligible all the time.
As with any great CME offer, there are options with and without a free gift card in return.
Premium MDCalc CME Gift Card Subscriptions
(Best) Unlimited: 1-year subscription with unlimited CME credits + $2,750 gift card – $4,999
(Still better) Plus 75: 1-year subscription with 75 CME credits/yr + $1,600 gift card – $2,999
(Better) Plus 65: 1-year subscription with 65 CME credits/yr + $1,050 gift card – $1,999
(Good) Plus 50: 1-year subscription with 50 CME credits/yr + $450 gift card – $899
2. VisualDx + DermExpert
VisualDx is a powerful but easy-to-use point of care app that does everything from help you build a differential given presenting symptoms to diagnose skin conditions with AI-powered computer vision, right from your smartphone or tablet.
Each smart search you perform, differential you build, or condition you review also earns you CME, taking the stress out of that part of your life, too.
It’s truly amazing in its capabilities and features, and well worth the price, which is downright reasonable compared to other CME products out there.
Furthermore, it’s easy to see that VisualDx is an evidence-based company. Their product has been the subject of several peer-reviewed studies and every one of their claims is backed up by data. It’s pretty refreshing if you ask me.
For those of you on mobile devices, please accept my apologies for the images below. Tap on any of them to enlarge for a better view of the data.
VisualDx Evidence Base
When comparing accuracy of non-dermatologists diagnosing skin conditions before and after using VisualDx, the improvement is impressive.
The chart above shows an improvement of 32% accuracy across skin types.
In addition to improving diagnostic accuracy, VisualDx offers a plethora of additional, some even free, medical education resources.
Currently, they are running a webinar series on skin of color, improving health equity.
Specifically identifying lesions on skin of color is also a new AI feature enabled in the Android and iOS apps, and has been available on the web app for some time now.
VisualDx Pricing
Currently, it’ll run you $749 for one year or $1,499 for 2 years.
However, when you purchase through Modern MedEd, you’ll get access to exclusive deals not available anywhere else.
Get a $250 or $500 Amazon gift card back, making the effective price just $499 per year for one or two years.
Whenever you can use your CME money for a high quality, multi-year CME subscription, it’s worth seriously considering.
Not only does it secure at least two years’ worth of CME, but it also unlocks the chance for more and different learning opportunities next year. This VisualDx subscription offer is only available here.
Purchase your VisualDx + DermExpert CME with gift card subscription here.
3. UpToDate
UpToDate awards category 1 CME with every search. It’s the prototypical resource for medical professionals when you need a quick reference on what to do next.
You can use it at a computer or on your mobile device, and some of you probably already have access to it through your institution. If not, then it is currently $559 a year for individual physician/PA/NP/pharmacist/nurse subscribers.
They have articles on just about anything you could imagine, with detailed analyses as well as concise summaries, depending on your needs at the time.
And because each search comes with potential CME, it is possible to get all your hours and more just from topic searches.
Best of all, it integrates seamlessly with your VisualDx subscription.
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More Medical Apps To Make Your Life Easier
These are just three of the best medical apps that award CME and have point of care functionality.
To compare the first two – MDCalc and VisualDx – more closely, visit our CME review and comparison guide.
Be sure to check out our analysis of 15 more medical apps that will improve your clinical life in one way or another. And don’t forget to make use of our new CME finder if you are still looking for high quality CME.
Further Reading
4 Effective Techniques to Stretch Your 2021 CME Fund Further than Ever
Dont lose your CME fund. Speak at conferences, log CME with gift card options, or try these other techniques to maximize your CME money
Practical CME Reviews of Oakstone Practical Reviews
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