Becker QuickLinks Guide
| Resource | Why would I use this? | Advantage | Limitation | Sample Question Using this Resource |
| BioMed Central | To access over 100 peer-reviewed open access journals (both general titles & specialist journals). | |||
| CINAHL Plus (EBSCO) | CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature) provides abstracts from journals primarily in nursing and allied health (physical & occupational therapy). | CINAHL provides access to journal articles that MEDLINE does not include, and is especially strong for physical and occupational therapy. | Depending on your program, CINAHL may not be the most appropriate choice for searching the primary journal article literature. | What are the effects of an all-RN staff in hospitals? |
| Clinical Evidence | This web site provides concise summaries of the evidence supporting more than 3,000 common clinical interventions. | Evidence surrounding common interventions is briefly and meaningfully summarized. | If Clinical Evidence has not reviewed your intervention, you must look elsewhere. | What are the effects of vaccines to prevent influenza? |
| Clinical Pharmacology | This is the major drug database provided by Becker Library. | Provides comprehensive information on more than 5,000 drugs, including references to peer-reviewed literature. | This may provide too much information if you do not need in-depth drug data. | What are the adverse reactions to Aricept? |
| Clinical Pharmacology OnHand | This is the PDA version of Clinical Pharmacology, for Palm or Pocket PC. | |||
| Resource | Why would I use this? | Advantage | Limitation | Sample Question Using this Resource |
| Cochrane Library | This is a cornerstone of evidence-based medicine and includes the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. | Cochrane Systematic Reviews are rigorously conducted, and summarize the strengths and deficiencies of the research on a topic in a structured, reliable format. | Since there are only about 3,500 completed Cochrane reviews, if one is not done on your topic, you must look elsewhere. | What does the literature say about different methods for delivering the placenta in Caesarean sections? |
| DiscoveryGate | This product finds chemistry-related information. | Excellent coverage of synthesis, bioactivity, physical properties, metabolism, toxicity or sourcing information. | If your needs do not include chemistry-related information, this product may not help you. | What is available about tumorigenicity of morpholine? |
| EMBASE | This is a European counterpart to MEDLINE. | EMBASE includes journals not covered by MEDLINE, and is regarded for superb coverage of drug and pharmacology literature. | EMBASE is not free to search like PubMed, and not all institutions subscribe to it. | What are the effects of Dermovate on eczema? |
| E-Reserves | These are items professors have requested Becker Library put on reserve in electronic format. | |||
| ILLiad | ILLiad lets you create a user name and password so you can request materials Becker Library does not own. | Your user name and password lasts for the time you are affiliated with Washington University School of Medicine. | There is a fee for requesting materials from other libraries because other libraries charge Becker Library to borrow their items. | |
| Resource | Why would I use this? | Advantage | Limitation | Sample Question Using this Resource |
| Images.MD | Over 70,000 images, including tables and charts, useful for preparing presentations. | One source for high-quality medical images, tables and graphs. | You may not need images, charts or tables. | Where is a table of the factors impacting mortality in acute renal failure? |
| Impact Factor | Impact factor (Journal Citation Reports) is a widely used measure of the quality of a journal. | This is a quantitative indicator of journal quality if you are seeking to publish your work. | Impact factors are controversial, and apply to journals, not individual authors. | What is the impact factor for Annals of Internal Medicine? |
| Isabel | To input symptoms and get a list of suggested diagnoses in priority order. | Improves diagnostic skill and reminds clinicians of overlooked diagnoses. | Minimal assistance in planning treatments. | What are the potential diagnoses for a child with abdominal pain, scrotal edema, leucocytosis and elevated CRP? |
| MD Consult | Aggregates e-books, guidelines, images, evidence-based resources, patient education, animated demonstrations and drug information in one place. | Single source for a variety of clinically useful information, available on-campus and through Becker Proxy accounts. | With more than 8 million pages of content, MD Consult might yield more than necessary to answer a question. | Where can I find an overview of postpartum depression? |
| NCBI | Entry page for the National Center for Biotechnology Information and its web-based products. | |||
| Resource | Why would I use this? | Advantage | Limitation | Sample Question Using this Resource |
| Olin Library | This link goes to the Olin Library on the Danforth Campus of Washington University. | Links to relevant databases and branch libraries on the main Washington University campus. | Computers on the Washington University medical school campus may not be able to access all Olin Library databases because of licensing restrictions. | |
| Ovid | Ovid is one route for accessing MEDLINE and several electronic journals. | Ovid is a powerful search interface with features not yet available in PubMed. | Ovid accounts are not free except for WUSM students, and access ends when one is no longer affiliated with WUSM. | What are the effects of giving nebulized budesonide for croup? |
| PubMed | PubMed is another route for accessing MEDLINE. | PubMed is free to search with an internet connection, so access is available after one is no longer affiliated with WUSM. | Interface and features can change without notice. | What are the effects of giving nebulized budesonide for croup? |
| Scopus | This is a comprehensive database of abstracts from medical, life and social science literature. | Single source for primary literature from a variety of disciplines, with built-in tools to help users rate the quality and quantity of their results. | Results may duplicate those found in other abstracting sources. | What behavioral therapy is effective for coping with tinnitus? |
| Stat!Ref | This is the full-text of more than 40 electronic books | Searchable text of core textbooks in medicine. | Not downloadable – intended to be read on-screen. | Where is an online version of Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine? |
| Resource | Why would I use this? | Advantage | Limitation | Sample Question Using this Resource |
| Tutorials | This is where Becker Library has aggregated online tutorials for its databases. | One place to look for help with our databases and online resources, with a mixture of user guides, tutorials, and animated demonstrations. | Not all produced by Becker Library, so screen shots and directions may be outdated. | |
| UpToDate Online | Comprehensively synthesizes the literature in over 7,300 medical topics. | Thorough answers to clinical questions, with graded evidence supporting recommendations. | Not available off-campus without an individual subscription. | What are the recommendations for the management of Barrett's esophagus? |
| Web of Science | Lets you determine how many times, and by whom, a particular work has been cited. | Because authors who cite a work are usually doing similar work, this database lets you discover additional references on your topic. | The number of times a work is cited is not the only measure of research quality. | How many times has this specific article been cited by other works? |
| WorldCat | Lets you search the holdings of participating libraries worldwide. | Can be used to identify a library close to you which might have items of interest. | Obtaining the item may not be free or efficient. | Are there any libraries in the St. Louis area that own this book? |
| WU Danforth Campus | This is the link to the main campus of Washington University on the west side of Forest Park. | |||
| Resource | Why would I use this? | Advantage | Limitation | Sample Question Using this Resource |
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