Subject Guides: MD and PA Students: Clinical Tools

Clinical Tools

These resources are good for answering background questions. They are also considered clinical tools that are used at the point of care. They provide quick information and overviews.

BMJ Best Practice
Best Practice has been designed and built from the ground up for use specifically as a decision-support tool at the point of care. Latest research evidence, guidelines and expert opinion are combined in a single source and presented in a step-by-step approach, covering prevention, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis. Provides a second opinion, without the need for checking multiple resources.
Clinical Overviews
Formerly known as First Consult and part of ClinicalKey, these overviews provide easy-to-scan, actionable information for clinicians on diagnosis, treatment, monitoring, screening, and prevention of diseases and conditions. They are developed by Elsevier’s Point of Care Editorial team with new topics added regularly.
DynaMed Plus
DynaMed Plus (Dynamic Medical Information System) is a quick and easy-to-use medical reference system designed for use at the point of care. It contains clinically organized summaries of thousands of topics and is updated several times daily from review of the research literature. Providing the most current, unbiased, evidence-based information to enable physicians to help them provide the best care possible to their patients, DynaMed is a useful resource in clinical, educational and research settings.
Essential Evidence Plus and AHFS DI Essentials
Essential Evidence Plus is a clinical decision support system (formerly called InfoPOEMS) which includes over 13,000 conditions, diseases, and procedures. Every recommendation carries a strength-of-evidence rating that accurately grades each recommendation's merit on the basis of all of the evidence available in the relevant literature, including Cochrane Systematic Reviews.
Micromedex
Contains the Micromedex databases: POISINDEX, DRUGDEX, EMERGINDEX, PDR, Martindale, TOMES, and Drug-Reax, and Tomes, and the drug information tools: Martindales, PDR, Material safety data sheets prepared by the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, and Index nominum.
Natural Medicines (formerly Natural Standard)
Natural Medicines provides unbiased, evidence-based information and ratings on over 90,000 dietary supplements, natural medicines, and integrative therapies. This resource includes evidence-based monographs, commercial product ratings for over 90,000 dietary supplement products, an interaction checker, an effectiveness checker, and a nutrient depletion checker.
UpToDate
UpToDate is a practical clinical information service designed to provide instant access to just the information you need. It is written by a recognized faculty of experts who each address a specific clinical issue. They synthesize the latest evidence and best practices and provide detailed recommendations. [Access to UpToDate is co-funded by the Carver College of Medicine, the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and Hardin Library for the Health Sciences.]

Review Tools

CCOM Medical Curriculum Repository
Review materials from UI's preclinical curriculum. Includes CAPS materials related to PE skills, communication skills, biomedical ethics, clinical reasoning skills, and EBCP. MAS and MOHD materials as well as the Exemplars are included.

JoVE Unlimited
Encompasses all current and future JoVE video resources. JoVE publishes more than 1,200 videos annually across the 13 sections of the JoVE Video Journal and launches new subject series and collections to the JoVE Science Education Library several times a year. Access to both the fundamental building blocks of common laboratory techniques and the newest, cutting-edge experiments
Teaching Resource Centre Pharmacology Database (TRC)
Teaching Resource Centre Pharmacology Database (TRC) is a resource developed in the Netherlands primarily for medical and health sciences students. The database aims to facilitate learning of pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, and drug mechanisms in the context of pathophysiology. It is useful as a reference or self-study tool, and can be used in the online version or through a free application. TRC includes many drugs prescribed in the U.S. and most drugs utilized in Europe. It is possible to enable links to Micromedex content by accessing “settings” on the bottom right side of screen.

CBL General Guidelines

Resources: Always use three or more resources

This is a sampling of resources, many more can be found on the Hardin Library website.

Textbooks: Search the University of Iowa’s library catalog, InfoHawk, for print and electronic books in our collection.

InfoHawk+ - Search for books here. (Limit search results to Books with filters on the right side of screen.)
Ebook LibGuide - Many of our electronic books listed by subject.

Reference sources: Basic reference tools such as dictionaries and drug compendiums and informational websites can be useful.

Clinical Databases: Point-of-care medical references provide information updated regularly by systematic literature reviews

Journal Articles: Bibliographic databases provide access to citations for articles in medicine, biosciences, nursing, psychology and more.

Google (Web Sites): Searching the web can find valuable information.

Use the SPAT criteria to judge a website’s worth

Clinical Prep

Clinical Prep in AccessMedicine
Clinical Prep helps bridge the gap between course work and actual patient care experiences. It provides access to highly credible, to-the-point information on common clinical questions that arise in clinical clerkships and similar patient care experiences.

NEJM Resident 360

NEJM Resident 360
Designed specifically for residents, NEJM Resident 360 gives you the information, resources, and support you need to approach your rotations with confidence. Created to help you build your knowledge base and advance your career while connecting you with a supportive community of fellow residents as well as experts for clinical and professional insight. Resident 360 includes Student Corner for medical students.

The University of Iowa Libraries

Hardin Library for the Health Sciences

MD and PA Students: Clinical Tools

Clinical Tools

Review Tools

CBL General Guidelines

Clinical Prep

NEJM Resident 360