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Medical Students' Resources

Resources for Emory School of Medicine Students

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This guide is for the various phases for Emory School of Medicine's curriculum.

eBooks

The WHSC Library provides access to thousands of core medical eBooks through the following collections

       DynaMed

Use the University Libraries' catalog discoverE to locate more eBooks.

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Literature Searching

  • To achieve optimal results in a literature search, use a minimum of 3 concepts to yield the best results.  Applying the PICO method often helps to generate your concepts.  If you cannot articulate your topic into a question, you probably will not retrieve good results.
  • Most databases do not recognize natural language.  For instance, one can type in a whole sentence to Google/Google Scholar but not in databases like PubMed.
  • In PubMed, avoid searching with acronyms.  Searching DVT yields significantly less than searching for deep vein thrombosis.
  • In PubMed, searching with a noun instead of an adjective retrieves better results:  hypertension versus hypertensive.
  • Each database has its own search syntax.  What is searched in PubMed cannot necessarily be searched in Embase.
  • To refine your search results, use filter/limits such as English, dates of publication to reduce the number of results you will have to review.
  • If seeking evidence based outcomes, if applicable, apply meta analysis or systematic review to search results.

PICO is a template to break down a clinical question to generate terms or concepts to search.  undefined

For example:  A patient who has a rotator cuff injury would like to know whether surgery or physical therapy would yield him a better outcome. Below how the clinical question can be broken down into core concepts.  Not all questions fit into PICO but it provides a good framework with which to begin.

P - rotator cuff injury

I - surgery

C - physical therapy

O - treatment outcome

The use of boolean operators (AND/OR) is essential for good retrievals.  Many misunderstand their use in searching, however.

AND represents the intersection or overlap of concepts, as depicted below:

 

OR represents all inclusive: whether they intersect or occur independently, as depicted below:

 

If you need help searching, feel free to email me, set up a Zoom appointment, or use the "Ask a Librarian" service.

Search for Articles

  • Search from Emory's instance of PubMed so you see the Find It @ Emory Button to get to Emory's subscriptions.  Emory's PubMed URL is: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?otool=emorylib.
  • Search by topic or copy and paste the article title you are seeking into the search box.
  • Go into a record and click on the "Find It @Emory" button on the far right:

 

 

Emory University licenses a Chrome extension called LibKey Nomad via our BrowZine license.  Go to the Chrome Store and search for and install the libkey nomad (as seen below) by clicking on “Add to Chrome.”  

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Once you click on “Add to Chrome,” you will be asked to “Select an Institution:”

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You will not see any type of confirmation that the extension has been added but you should see a green tear-drop looking icon in the far right corner of your browser that looks like below:

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That is how you know that the extension has been installed.  If you go to PubMed or another site, you will most likely see something like the image below.   When you click on the “Download PDF” icon, if you have not already logged into a resource with your University NetID and password, you will be prompted to do so.  Once you do so, it will take you immediately to the PDF, if available.

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If Emory University Libraries do not have an article, book, or DVD you need, you can use the InterLibrary Loan Service.  It is a free service provided by the Emory University Libraries for items unavailable in our print or online collections.  

If you are seeking an article via PubMed and it is unavailable after clicking on the "Find It @Emory" button, you can click on on "Request via Interlibrary Loan" option. When you click on that link, you will be prompted for your University NetID and password.  Once you login, you will see a populated request form.  Click "Submit Request" at the bottom.

For items you are requesting not linking out from PubMed, go to: https://illiad.library.emory.edu/ and login with your University NetID and password.  

Once you are on the ILLiad page, choose an option:

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Populate the online form and click Submit Request at the bottom.

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You should receive the article (pdf) within 1-2 business days.

 

Databases

Below are key databases for the biomedical and health sciences:

View the Health Sciences A-Z Database list or the entire Emory University A-Z Database list.

Request items unavailable at Emory University (ILL)

If Emory University does not have an article, book, or DVD you need, you can use the InterLibrary Loan Service.  It is a free service provided by the Emory University Libraries for items unavailable in our print or online collections.  Go to: https://illiad.library.emory.edu/ and login with your University NetID and password. 

Once you are on the ILLiad page, choose an option:

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Populate the online form and click Submit Request at the bottom.

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You should receive the article (pdf) within 1-2 business days.  If you are requesting a book it will take longer (between 10-14 business days).  The lending library has to mail the physical book to Emory University.