Read by QxMD

What is it?
Rather than opening up a different journal app for each individual subscription or searching through multiple journals online, Read by QxMD collects articles related to your interests from all your favorite journals and creates a virtual personalized journal. It is my favorite app for staying current with dermatology literature.


How does it work?
When you enter this app for the first time, it asks for a username and password to obtain proxy access to your institutional library. (For security, the username and password are encrypted on the mobile device before authenticating the user. This information is not shared with QxMD staff.) The app then asks you to select journals and specialties to follow. That is it; you are ready to use the app.

The user interface is very easy to understand. There is an upper toolbar with 6 buttons that allows you to browse articles by (1) articles featured for you based on your initial setup, (2) journals preselected by you, (3) collections selected by the app, (4) new topics you wish to explore, (5) stored favorite articles selected by you, and (6) a basic search engine. A seventh button allows you to change your settings. Below the toolbar are articles.

Browsing articles also is very easy, as individual papers are arranged as a mosaic created to resemble browsing through a magazine. The title of each article followed by a summary (usually an abstract) is displayed. To see more articles, you “flip” the page with your finger. Clicking on an article brings up the entire abstract and options to download the PDF, store it as a favorite, or share the article with a friend. Downloaded PDFs are presented in a PDF editor with basic highlighting and annotating functions. If you need additional capabilities, there is a button for exporting articles to other PDF readers.


How can it help me?
I use Read by QxMD to stay up-to-date with dermatologic literature when I have limited windows of downtime, such as drinking my morning cup of coffee or waiting in lines; while other people are playing Angry Birds, this app allows me to get work done! The personalization and magazine-style presentation are enjoyable as I’m keeping up with dermatologic literature. I would not use this app as a point-of-care decision support tool, a journal article storage tool, or PDF editor, as there are better apps designed for those processes. I also suggest limiting the journals and specialties you follow to those you are highly interested in or you will become overwhelmed scanning through articles that are only somewhat interesting to you.

How can I get it?
Because Read by QxMD is free, every dermatologist should try this mobile app.

It is available in the Apple App Store for your iPod Touch, iPad, and/or iPhone.

For a list of participating institutions, go to www.qxmd.com.

What is it?
Rather than opening up a different journal app for each individual subscription or searching through multiple journals online, Read by QxMD collects articles related to your interests from all your favorite journals and creates a virtual personalized journal. It is my favorite app for staying current with dermatology literature.


How does it work?
When you enter this app for the first time, it asks for a username and password to obtain proxy access to your institutional library. (For security, the username and password are encrypted on the mobile device before authenticating the user. This information is not shared with QxMD staff.) The app then asks you to select journals and specialties to follow. That is it; you are ready to use the app.

The user interface is very easy to understand. There is an upper toolbar with 6 buttons that allows you to browse articles by (1) articles featured for you based on your initial setup, (2) journals preselected by you, (3) collections selected by the app, (4) new topics you wish to explore, (5) stored favorite articles selected by you, and (6) a basic search engine. A seventh button allows you to change your settings. Below the toolbar are articles.

Browsing articles also is very easy, as individual papers are arranged as a mosaic created to resemble browsing through a magazine. The title of each article followed by a summary (usually an abstract) is displayed. To see more articles, you “flip” the page with your finger. Clicking on an article brings up the entire abstract and options to download the PDF, store it as a favorite, or share the article with a friend. Downloaded PDFs are presented in a PDF editor with basic highlighting and annotating functions. If you need additional capabilities, there is a button for exporting articles to other PDF readers.


How can it help me?
I use Read by QxMD to stay up-to-date with dermatologic literature when I have limited windows of downtime, such as drinking my morning cup of coffee or waiting in lines; while other people are playing Angry Birds, this app allows me to get work done! The personalization and magazine-style presentation are enjoyable as I’m keeping up with dermatologic literature. I would not use this app as a point-of-care decision support tool, a journal article storage tool, or PDF editor, as there are better apps designed for those processes. I also suggest limiting the journals and specialties you follow to those you are highly interested in or you will become overwhelmed scanning through articles that are only somewhat interesting to you.

How can I get it?
Because Read by QxMD is free, every dermatologist should try this mobile app.

It is available in the Apple App Store for your iPod Touch, iPad, and/or iPhone.

For a list of participating institutions, go to www.qxmd.com.

What is it?
Rather than opening up a different journal app for each individual subscription or searching through multiple journals online, Read by QxMD collects articles related to your interests from all your favorite journals and creates a virtual personalized journal. It is my favorite app for staying current with dermatology literature.


How does it work?
When you enter this app for the first time, it asks for a username and password to obtain proxy access to your institutional library. (For security, the username and password are encrypted on the mobile device before authenticating the user. This information is not shared with QxMD staff.) The app then asks you to select journals and specialties to follow. That is it; you are ready to use the app.

The user interface is very easy to understand. There is an upper toolbar with 6 buttons that allows you to browse articles by (1) articles featured for you based on your initial setup, (2) journals preselected by you, (3) collections selected by the app, (4) new topics you wish to explore, (5) stored favorite articles selected by you, and (6) a basic search engine. A seventh button allows you to change your settings. Below the toolbar are articles.

Browsing articles also is very easy, as individual papers are arranged as a mosaic created to resemble browsing through a magazine. The title of each article followed by a summary (usually an abstract) is displayed. To see more articles, you “flip” the page with your finger. Clicking on an article brings up the entire abstract and options to download the PDF, store it as a favorite, or share the article with a friend. Downloaded PDFs are presented in a PDF editor with basic highlighting and annotating functions. If you need additional capabilities, there is a button for exporting articles to other PDF readers.


How can it help me?
I use Read by QxMD to stay up-to-date with dermatologic literature when I have limited windows of downtime, such as drinking my morning cup of coffee or waiting in lines; while other people are playing Angry Birds, this app allows me to get work done! The personalization and magazine-style presentation are enjoyable as I’m keeping up with dermatologic literature. I would not use this app as a point-of-care decision support tool, a journal article storage tool, or PDF editor, as there are better apps designed for those processes. I also suggest limiting the journals and specialties you follow to those you are highly interested in or you will become overwhelmed scanning through articles that are only somewhat interesting to you.

How can I get it?
Because Read by QxMD is free, every dermatologist should try this mobile app.

It is available in the Apple App Store for your iPod Touch, iPad, and/or iPhone.

For a list of participating institutions, go to www.qxmd.com.