The app, entitled Imaging Single Best Answer, is now live on the App Store and Google Play and the first doctors have already started to download it to help them revise. This is the BIR's first ever app as the historic organisation seeks to respond to the rapid rise in smartphone and tablet use among young doctors. It is compatible with iPhones, iPads and the iPod touch, as well as a variety of Android smartphones and tablets.
Imaging Single Best Answer was developed by Apadmi, the UK's leading mobile app developer, which saw off bids from approximately 15 other companies in an open tender over the summer to secure the right to work with the BIR.
The BIR, which can trace its roots back to 1897, is the oldest radiological society in the world. Today, it is a globally recognised membership organisation for healthcare professionals working with imaging science and radiation technologies such as X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound.
The app helps trainee radiologists prepare for the Royal College of Radiologists' Final FRCR (Part A) Exam. It features a total of 450 questions across each of the six exam modules: cardiothoracic and vascular; musculoskeletal and trauma; gastro-intestinal; genito-urinary, adrenal, obstetrics and gynaecology and breast; paediatric; and central nervous system and head and neck.
It has two different modes of assessment. The 'test' function presents users with a number of multiple choice questions in which they are given the summary findings from a scan and invited to select the best diagnosis. They will then be shown the single best answer along with a detailed explanation of why this is the case. Meanwhile, the 'exam' function enables students to sit the same questions under timed exam conditions before reviewing their answers and detailed explanations at the end.
The app records all of the user's scores, giving them the opportunity to see how much they have improved over time.
In addition, all data is pre-loaded into the app so that it can operate offline. This means it is suitable for use in areas with poor internet access such as during the daily commute, on the tube or in rural areas.
Nick Black, co-founder and director of Apadmi, said: "It has been a real privilege for our team to create the British Institute of Radiology's first ever app.
"Every doctor needs to embrace continuing professional development in order to improve their knowledge and skills over time, but many healthcare organisations have yet to take advantage of the huge benefits that apps can bring to the learning process. Imaging Single Best Answer is a great example of how apps can help the healthcare sector."
Sophia Anderton, head of publishing at the British Institute of Radiology, said: "We're really happy with the Imaging Single Best Answer app.
"Following a highly competitive pitching process, we decided to work with Apadmi because the team came across extremely professionally and had clearly researched the British Institute of Radiology and our requirements in detail. This is our first ever app so we had a lot to learn about the creative process, but Apadmi's team were great at answering our questions and coming up with sensible suggestions to guide us through. What's more, the app was completed on time and on budget, and both the iOS and Android versions are very intuitive and easy to use.
"We're confident that the Imaging Single Best Answer app will transform how doctors revise for their exams by enabling them to learn at a time and place that suits them. By helping doctors develop their skills in a more modern way, this app will hopefully improve patient outcomes and ultimately save lives."
The Imaging Single Best Answer app is available to download now for £12.99 on the App Store and Google Play.
For more information, please visit www.apadmi.com
