| |

⚒️ TOOLS OF SUCCESS ⚒️

ByShayne Foley PA-C

MDCalc.com

Many are probably already using MDCalc.com, but just in case, I wanted to draw attention to and recommend it. I find this to be an incredibly helpful tool, one that I use just about every day in Primary Care, and very frequently used in Urgent Care medicine also. Whether outpatient or inpatient, you should be aware of this tool and should sign up for a free account.

“What is MDCalc? MDCalc is a site for medical professionals, to help us do calculations, process algorithms and scores, and assess risk—all using the latest and best evidence—to make patients better, faster.”
–https://www.mdcalc.com/faq

Whether you know it already or not, here are some Pros, Cons, and Tips to understand how to get the most out of MDCalc:

PROs

  1. FREE to sign up for an account.
  2. Now offering AMA PRA Category 1 CME credits (caveat found in “Cons” list).
  3. Easy copy and paste functions to put into your documentation. (TIP: use it to build your case in your Medical Decision Making)
  4. Diverse array of choices, helpful for both inpatient and outpatient medicine.
  5. “Favorites” tab to keep your most frequently referenced.
  6. Easy to use with multiple avenues to find what you need. I like the “Specialty” tab for discovering new tools to use in my practice.
  7. Log in once, and stayed logged in for your entire shift (the site doesn’t log you out due to inactivity).
  8. Easy to use website or phone App.
  9. In-depth discussion about each calculator, algorithm, score, risk assessment, etc. (“When to use”, “Pearls/Pitfalls”, “Why Use”, “Evidence“, “Creator Insights“) for better understanding.
  10. “Guidelines” tab available to learn the most up-to-date recommendations about specific topics, such as Acute Venous Thromboembolic Disease.


CONs

  1. Must read about, and not just use, tools to earn CME credits.
  2. CME credits cost money to redeem, even if earned.
  3. It’s yet another phone app or website tab that you should just keep open during your shift.
  4. It’s yet another log-in and password to have.

I’m finding myself working hard to list the “Cons“, and I admit that could be that I am biased in favor of MDCalc. It’s a great resource with a lot of content to offer, applicable to most specialties. For now, I favor getting your CME credits elsewhere, such as UptoDate, as you may be able to accumulate Category 1 CME credits at no cost to you as an employee. But for clinical-decision making tools, I have yet to find anything nearly as good as MDCalc.

DISCLAIMERS: 1) The views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily represent the views of my employer. 2) There are no conflicts of interest to report. 3) I don’t know what I don’t know, so feel free to message me if you don’t agree with something that you read.

KEYWORDS: #MDCalc #burnout #medicine #physicianassistant #nursepractitioner #doctor #physician #barriers #wellness #efficiency #proficiency #control #worklifebalance #happinessatwork #carpediem #clinician #stress #covid #covid19 #pandemic #lifehacks #leverage #tools #charting #physician #MDM #worklife #worklifebalance