Savvy Searcher

Whether you’re on rotation or on vacation this summer, you may find that you want to access Himmelfarb Library’s electronic information sources. Even if you’re not in the Library, you have several options for accessing databases and textbooks.

ALADIN

To access ALADIN, select the off-campus link for the resource that you’d like to use from the Library homepage. The system will prompt you for a borrower identification number; simply enter your Social Security number then click on “Validate.” In “Health & Life Sciences” you will find databases such as MEDLINE, PsychINFO, and CINAHL, full-text evidence-based medicine databases such as Clinical Evidence and the Cochrane database, plus Journals@Ovid with the full-text of selected journals.

Troubleshooting: If ALADIN does not recognize your Social Security number, stop by the Gelman Library Circulation Desk (1st floor near entrance) and ask them to swipe your GWorld card for off-campus access. If you’re unable to stop by Gelman Library, send an email to library@gwumc.edu

MDCONSULT

Be sure to sign-up for your own login name and password to MDConsult before you head off for the summer. Once you have a login name and password, you can login to MDConsult from any computer by going to their website at http://www.mdconsult.com. MDConsult provides a wide array of full-text medical information including journal articles, textbooks, practice guidelines, patient education materials, and drug information.

Troubleshooting: If you forget your login name or password to MDConsult, you can contact MD Consult directly at 1-800-401-9962, Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. CST. Don’t hesitate to call, as MDConsult’s customer service is terrific: a real live person answers the phone right away and is ready to help! If you have any other difficulty using MDConsult, please let us know right away by emailing library@gwumc.edu or calling 202-994-2850.

INTERNET RESOURCES

Internet Resources are available from the Library’s homepage. This database of websites was created by Himmelfarb Library to link you to the top healthcare websites. You can search the database by title or topic, or browse the topic list. Each topic area will provide you a list of the top 12-15 websites with links and descriptions of the information that each site provides. If you’re in a clinical setting, you may find the sections on Clinical Guidelines, Clinical Medicine, and Pharmacology and Drug Information particularly useful, or you may check for websites in a specialty field such as Anesthesiology or Dermatology.

Troubleshooting: This is a publicly available resource so you shouldn’t have any difficulty accessing it. The linked websites are all also publicly available, though some may require free registration. If you do experience difficulty, please email library@gwumc.edu or call 202-994-2850.