iPods are everywhere - on running tracks, subways, elevators, even at many dinner tables if the family happens to include a member that is between the ages of 10 and 18 years of age, and medical schools?!   

Cardiologist Michael Barrett presented the findings from a Temple University study that showed listening to different heart sounds on an iPod at least 400 times is an effective way to improve a doctor's ability to detect a problem.

The study had 149 medical students listened 400 times to the five most frequent heart murmurs over a 90 minute period. This single practice session improved the rate of detection by stethoscope from 40 to 80 percent among generalists.

The ability to detect heart anomalies is essential to finding a range of cardiac problems and can reduce the number of unnecessary tests like echocardiograms and stress tests, Barrett said.