iPods are becoming a powerful tool in learning and development. And for those of you in HR L&D in the medical business, iPod learning can even help save lives. Yahoo News reports:

Doctors can greatly improve their stethoscope skills and therefore their ability to diagnose heart problems by listening repeatedly to heartbeats on their iPods.

Previous research has shown that the average rate of correct heart sound identification by physicians is 40 percent.

In a new study, 149 general internists listened 400 times to five common heart murmurs during a 90-minute session with iPods. After the session, the average score improved to 80 percent.

In L&D, you can’t always get what you want, but with iPod learning you get what you need.

UPDATE: In a comment, Charlie writes: “I’m wondering if cheap mp3 players could be used in less esoteric fields, such as call center training. Each month, a group of tough calls could be uploaded to the players of hundreds of call center reps – like podcasting for employee development.”

Technorati Tags: iPod, doctors, L&D