Rather than having to record title, author, journal reference etc, the easiest way to make a note of or find references is to use a unique identifier. The most common of these is the DOI, a messy code starting with 10 that you won't want to write down but you may be able to cut and paste. Enter the DOI in the search box on the DOI Web site. Or use the PMID code, an 8 digit number seen in Pubmed and Ovid: enter the code in the search box at Pubmed. The DOI is more versatile because it can refer to a particular part of an article.
I'm putting this first because frankly there's no way of reading all the journals listed below on a regular basis, so these services try to summarize new stuff for you. They mostly send out regular emails, but some let you search their databases too.
The Oxford Centre for Evidence based medicine has a toolbox section including a glossary, tips on searching Medline, explanations of levels of evidence, and how to calculate likelihood ratios and NNTs.
University of Michigan Evidence based pediatrics: a searchable list of critically appraised topics. No feed. Some links.
Scharr for index of online sources of evidence based medicine.
The American Academy of Paediatrics publishes policy statements and guidelines.
Controlled-trials.com for current trials register.
NHS Clinical Knowledge Summaries (formerly PRODIGY) are evidence-based reviews of common conditions managed in primary care. References and dates are given, but no author!
Better Testing.org.uk is a collection of guidelines on common diagnostic tests and scenarios eg chronic diarrhoea, aimed at primary care. From the Journal of Clinical Pathology.
The DoH Health Technology Assessment website has a Mother and Child Health section, but just one list of completed studies and a crap search engine.
Effective health care bulletins - NHS, pdf, not paeds specific, not much, xml
HSTAT in America – huge, crap search engine. Linked from Pubmed, though. Not paeds specific. AHRQ Evidence Reports probably best. Update info?
Bandolier – based at Oxford Pain Research Group, so big pain component. Trawl literature for reviews. Topic headings include family health but not paeds. Monthly updates, Boolean search, email alert, random stuff under Extras incl delivery of health care.
Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) has tools for different studies (randomised controlled trials, systematic reviews, etc) which are simple, easy to use, and freely available on the internet. A Windows CD-ROM is available for £80 which counts towards 10 CPD points.
Journals usually have their own websites, where you may be able to get some but not usually all of the articles full text without a subscription. You can often subscribe to get Table of Contents emailed to you each time a new issue is published. But you may be able to get at the full text via an Athens password you can get from the NHS e-library. Or you can use Amedeo to browse through a whole bunch of journals for you looking for specific topics and email you the abstracts with links.
Go to the NHS E-library to find out how to access any journal.
Choose the Browse Journal option if not looking for a particular subject.
NHS E-library is a good starting point for finding journals, databases and textbooks, but you have to follow each link individually. Get your Athens password here, you'll need it for many of the individual websites.
Ovid - for Medline. But did you know?
MDConsult has a range of full text journals and textbooks but also guidelines which are all searchable but not browsable. Use your ATHENS password as for Ovid.
BMJ collected resources, where you can quickly see articles on a particular subject, including news articles. Full text requires subscription, except for some Athens users.
EBSCO for Lancet but also Acta Paediatrica (12 month lag), Clinical Pediatrics, European Journal of Pediatrics, Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology (12 months lag), Paediatric drugs. ATHENS password required (see above).
Freemedicaljournals.com is a searchable index with links, 28 are paediatric, although some are foreign language. Contemporary pediatrics is a US, family practitioner orientated journal, International pediatrics sometimes has some good articles.
NHS has a clinical governance support website with articles and presentations.
The BMJ has a good collection of articles on how to read a paper, with basic statistics.
My guide to searching for a review article or the answer to a specific question.
eMedicine is a huge online textbooks, but although there is a neonatal section, there is no paediatric one.
Doctors.net has a variety of resources.
Isabel is a clinical decision making support tool linked to textbook articles, with some extra features (no longer free, unfortunately, it costs £9 per month):
Omim is the database of syndromes. No pictures, unfortunately. There's a small selection at Genetics Image Catalogue. Kansas Uni genetic & rare diseases website offers huge variety of links to support groups and academic sites.
Ovid Healthstar database looks at non-clinical stuff eg quality assurance, management.
Medical Mnemonics for your old favourites and some new ones.
Parents should always be encouraged to discuss any information obtained from the Internet with their doctor. A more open and knowledgeable approach to this resource should allow it to be a valuable tool for both parents and health professionals alike. (Karen and Ian)
Contact a family has an excellent leaflet to help families judge whether or not a website provides relevant, quality information.
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