The University of Louisville is among of the first universities in the nation to make Palm handhelds part of its four-year curricula. The university's School of Medicine and School of Dentistry have purchased and distributed 1,100 Palm handhelds to students.

The university said the purchase of the handhelds is an integral part of the its strategy to more closely connect students to patient care in all aspects of the curriculum -- from academic studies traditionally dominated by lecture-style learning to hands-on clinical training.

"Most national medical organizations and educators agree that active, self-directed learning facilitates retention," says Ruth B. Greenberg, Ph.D., director of academic programs at the University of Louisville Health Sciences Center and director of the Office of Curriculum Development and Evaluation. "With handheld technology, we can create opportunities for students to become more actively engaged in their learning even in basic science classes. We can introduce them to clinical concepts from the first day they enter medical school rather than waiting until the third and fourth years of clinical work where handhelds are more commonly used."

Greenberg believes that students need to understand the role technology will play in their professional lives and be comfortable using the same tools they will use as practicing physicians and dentists. "Handhelds are the future," she says. "They are sophisticated tools that can instantly connect healthcare professionals to the up-to-date resources they need at the point of patient care. This immediate access to information is a tremendous benefit and timesaver, especially in the era of managed healthcare, where time is a premium. Students shouldn't have to wait until their clinical rotations to use technology that is becoming prevalent."