Technology has revolutionized how we access information. One example is the increased use of mobile applications (apps). On the surface, building a new app may seem a daunting and intimidating task. However, new software—such as Glide (glideapps.com)—make it easy for anyone to design, build, and launch a custom web app within hours. This software is free for basic apps but does offer an upgrade for those wanting more professional services (glide-apps.com/pro). Here, by way of example, we identify an area of need and walk the reader
through the process of making an app.
Although there are many apps aimed at educating users on different aspects of obstetrics and gynecology, few are focused on undergraduate medical education (UME). With the assistance of Glide app building software, we created an app focused on providing rapid access to resources aimed at fulfilling medical student objectives from the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO).1 We included 16 of the APGO objectives. On clicking an objective, the user is taken to a screen with links to associated APGO Educational Topic Video and Basic Science Videos. Basic Science Video links were included in order to provide longitudinal learning between the pre-clinical and clinical years of UME. We also created a tab for additional educational resources (including excerpts from the APGO Basic Clinical Skills Curriculum).2 We eventually added two other tabs: one for clerkship schedules that allows students to organize their daily schedule and another that facilitates quick contact with members of the clerkship team. As expected, the app was well-received by our students.
The steps needed for you to make your own app are listed in the FIGURE along with accompanying images for easy navigation. ●
