AAPM&R-RPC: Resident’s
Research Packet
Computers
While by no
means a prerequisite for the conduct of successful research, a basic working
knowledge of computers and their applications can be very helpful to the
aspiring researcher. A few residents, however, remain somewhat nervous around
computers and have managed to resist acquiring “computer literacy.”
If you are one of those people, consider this:
during the course of your research, you are likely to use computers to
search the literature, organize and analyze your data, write your papers and
proposals, and possibly make slides or overhead transparencies for
presentations. Since you are a resident and can’t afford research
assistants, you will probably do all of this work yourself, so a rudimentary
set of computer skills will be invaluable.
A great way to
start is to search out older computer systems. A used computer, that may have
been the top of the line system when you were in medical school, may be
available for as little as $200 today. These computers are great for doing
word processing and perfectly serviceable for simple spreadsheet, statistics
and graphics software. A couple of words of advice: 1) While you are still
learning, get something that is compatible with the majority of the computers
at work. If your department uses Macintosh computers, get an old Mac. If
they’re IBM fans, get an old IBM clone. This will allow you to work at home
and still easily use the equipment at work. 2) Recognize that computer
technology advances very rapidly and an older computer system soon may become
obsolete. It may also be incompatible or difficult to use with newer software
programs. So don’t spend too much at first.
How can you
acquire computer skills if you have little or none thus far? Start at your
local university computing center or medical library. The experts there can
often provide all the help you require. Also, there’s usually a computer
whiz or two among your resident colleagues who can help you get started.
Progressive universities and hospitals now offer helpful courses in basic
computer skills; these can be another useful path to computer literacy.
Whether you
decide to buy a computer of your own or use one in your department, you should
also become familiar with the computer “lingo.” By knowing the terminology
and learning the equipment, your use of the computer and its applications will
remarkably improve. For instance, the knowledge and use of e-mail, or
electronic mail, is now becoming essential to have. This computer application
is your rapid link to others via “computer telecommunication.” It is a way
to correspond with your mentor or others who may help you in your research
project. To obtain e-mail for your home, your computer will need a modem that
is linked to a phone line. Once again, there are many types of modems on the
market; some are more affordable than others. But if you can’t arrange to
get e-mail at home, your department or institution is sure to have a computer
with access.
We hope that all
PM&R residents make the effort to gain basic computer skills because they
make your research much easier. In addition, as computers become ever more
pervasive in medical practice, they will give you a real advantage in the
world beyond residency.
Other references:
-
Sikorski R, et al.
Internet anatomy 101: accessing information on the world wide web. JAMA
1997 277(2):171-172.
-
Peters R, et al.
Navigating to knowledge: tools for finding information on the internet. JAMA
1997 277(6):505-506.
-
The Spider’s
Apprentice. Online address is
www.monash.com/spidap.html
-
Provides a tutorial on how
to use search engines including Alta Vista, Infoseek, Excite, Lycos,
Webcrawler, and Yahoo.
| |
