Pocket Body (Musculoskeletal)

Back in my day we used good old fashioned grave robbing to study Anatomy and Physiology. Not these new-fangled digital bodies that have zoom functions, built-in quizzes and 30,000 words of detailed anatomical data. Lazy, these kids today, lazy. Actually, I had used books and coloring sheets that were sloppily organized in old binders. Thanks to Pocket Body (Musculoskeletal), when I grow up and decide to finish my PhD that nonsense will be a thing of the past! Well, I may still use the color sheets; the coloring makes my soul happy.

Pocket Body (Musculoskeletal), by Pocket Anatomy, exemplifies how diverse, useful and downright beautiful apps on the iPad can be. Originally created to help A&P students study, this app has turned into a tool for helping health care professionals explain diagnoses, conditions and treatments to patients and for educators to interactively discuss lessons. This is app technology at its best.

Navigate from the skin layer to the superficial to deep musculature and on to ligaments and the skeleton using a handy "zoom" bar at the bottom. The user also has the ability to view each layer from the Anterior, Posterior, Lateral and Plantar viewpoint. Anatomical structures are identified with pins. Touch the pin and up pops information about that structure including clinical notes. Speaking of notes, the user can take their own notes inside the app and drop their own pins though out the body! There is even comprehensive content available on demand through wi-fi & 3G. Swoon.

It would be great if the user could add content to the quizzes e.g., the user generated pins in the "Locate Pins Quiz," an option for the user to create multiple choice questions and add flash cards. An advanced review section would also be excellent: after taking a quiz the app analyzes the areas the user is weak in and offers either a quiz specifically targeted at that weak area or in the regular quizzes the questions in the weak area appear more often. Also, a male and female view, including a pregnant female would be most helpful in study, teaching and practical application.

At $29.99, Pocket Body (Musculoskeletal) is not cheap, but for some it may be a worthwhile investment. If the lovelies at Pocket Anatomy could make it happen, a student discount would be spectacular. $30 is a month and a half's worth of ramen and we all know that good ramen equals good science.

With gorgeous graphics, intuitive controls and constant updates, Pocket Body (Musculoskeletal) is a slick and comprehensive way to study for that next exam or effectively communicate with a patient a visual aid. It is the next best thing to having a fresh specimen in a side pocket.

By the way, don't do that. It is unsanitary and slightly frowned upon.

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