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Doctoring and Clinical Skills (DoCS) Year 1: Library Session

Handouts and Tutorials

PubMed and Searching Help

Practice 1

Explore the Student's Guide to Clinical Information Sources.

  • Quick way to identify "big name" books designed to answer different kinds of questions or by specialty.

Try these topics in Access Medicine and Clinical Key:

  1. What are the clinical features of Marfan Syndrome?
  2. Describe the differential diagnosis of cough?

Compare these two point-of-care resources: Clinical Key-Clinical Overviews and Essential Evidence Plus (in STAT!Ref):

Examine these entries in AHFS Drug Information (STAT!Ref platform). 

  • Note the outline in the navigation on left -  each drug uses the same format.
  • Note that the drug class arrangement. Often there will be a General Statement for the class. Example: Entry on Cefdinir and a few steps up in the outline on the left "Cephalosporins".
  • Searchable by generic or brand name

Try this question in Natural Medicines:

  • How effective is coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) for patients with frequent migraines?
    [Tip: Look for results with Professional Monograph]

Practice 2

PubMed Practice and Self-Assessment

Search Exercise

This search is available for more structured practice searching PubMed.  

Instructions:

  1. For the clinical scenario below, perform search in PubMed that would help answer the question posed. (There may be more information in the scenario than is necessary for the question asked.)
  2. Review the results for relevancy.
  3. Use the Search History on the Advanced Search page to complete the Self-Evaluation (linked below).

Clinical Scenario:
You saw RR for cluster headaches. You noted that his blood pressure was elevated and that hypertension control would be discussed at his next appointment. You know Mr. R is interested in lifestyle changes to help bring his blood pressure within normal limits. He also mentioned mild stress from his teenaged children. You decided to see if there is any evidence surrounding relaxation techniques, like yoga, meditation, or biofeedback to help control his hypertension.
 

P Middle aged patient with hypertension
I Meditation, Yoga, Biofeedback
C NA
O Normal blood pressure

Clinical Question:
In middle age patients with hypertension, are meditation, yoga, and biofeedback effective in bringing blood pressure within normal limits?
--Find randomized controlled trials to help answer the question. 
 Hint: Limit to randomized controlled trial article type.
Use the AGE filter instead of typing the age in the search box. Turn on the Age filter by clicking Additional Filters button, click Age, then select the relevant ages to display.