Subject Guides: Evidence-Based Medicine: Finding Evidence

Search and Appraise

Your clinical question will determine the appropriate resource(s) for the best evidence:

Evidence-based tools such as DynaMed Plus, Essential Evidence Plus, Cochrane and Trip
Expert-based information, which needs to be evaluated
Current evidence in biomedical literature:
- Conduct a search to find systematic reviews or other studies
- Evaluate the quality of the study methodology

How to Read a Paper
From BMJ, a series of articles that explain how to read and interpret different kinds of research papers.
Art of Reading a Journal Article: Methodically and Effectively
Free full-text article by RV Subramanyam in the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology. 2013 Jan-Apr; 17(1): 65-70
How to Read a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis and Apply the Results to Patient Care: Users’ Guides to the Medical Literature
From JAMA

PubMed Clinical Queries This link opens in a new window
Specialized PubMed evidence-based medicine search. Narrows your search results by clinical study category, the systematic review subset, and by medical genetics topics.

ClinicalKey This link opens in a new window
To search Guidelines: Select All Types and choose Guidelines.
ECRI Guidelines Trust This link opens in a new window
ECRI Guidelines Trust is a publicly available web-based repository of objective, evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for patient care. This centralized repository includes current evidence-based guidance developed by nationally- and internationally-recognized medical organizations and medical specialty societies.

USPSTF Preventative TaskForce
Electronic Preventive Services Selector: search and browse U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations and guidelines. App available.

DynaMedex This link opens in a new window
Combines the clinical expertise and curated disease content of DynaMed with the treatment options and drug information of Micromedex; provides evidence-based insights for optimal clinical decision-making and improved patient outcomes. Mobile friendly. App available.
Essential Evidence Plus This link opens in a new window
An evidence-based clinical decision support tool featuring summaries, guidelines, literature reviews, and calculators. Patient Oriented Evidence that Matters (POEMs) research summaries may be emailed daily. Mobile friendly.
NNT This link opens in a new window
The NNT (Number Needed to Treat) contains quick summaries of evidence-based medicine. Contains evaluations of therapies based on patient-important benefits and harms, and of diagnostics by patient sign, symptom, lab test or study. Mobile friendly.
PEPID This link opens in a new window
Clinical Rotation Companion Platinum; includes adult and pediatric disease diagnostics and treatment information, lab values, an extensive drug database (including herbals), ICD codes, Stedman's Dictionary of Terms, anatomical illustrations, and more. App available.

Cochrane Library This link opens in a new window
Collection of EBM databases, including full text of Cochrane systematic reviews with references and search information. Mobile friendly.
Essential Evidence Plus This link opens in a new window
An evidence-based clinical decision support tool featuring summaries, guidelines, literature reviews, and calculators. Patient Oriented Evidence that Matters (POEMs) research summaries may be emailed daily. Mobile friendly.
Trip Database This link opens in a new window
A meta-search engine for sources of high quality internet information, including PubMed’s clinical queries and government guidelines. It has EBM-based features such as a PICO search, evidence filters, and rapid review. Mobile friendly.

PubMed (MEDLINE)
Biomedical literature from MEDLINE, life science journals, and online books

CASP Checklists (Critical Appraisal Skills Programme)
Critical appraisal tools to be used when reading Systematic Reviews, Randomized Controlled Trials, Cohort Studies, Case Control Studies, Economic Evaluations, Diagnostic Studies, Qualitative studies and Clinical Prediction Rule.