KansasCOM Library

eTextbooks

The KansasCOM Library strongly recommends students create personal user accounts with each of these services.

The majority of eTextbooks are located in three collections:

Additional eTextbooks are also located in these databases:

Why Create a Personal Account?

While there are multiple benefits to creating a personal account, there are two benefits that will impact your use of the eTextbook platforms:

1. Ability to create bookmarks
2. You'll need a personal account to use vendor apps on your phone or tablet

The KansasCOM Library recommends using your student email address to create your accounts but you may use any valid email address to set-up your accounts. Most of the library resources require you to complete the set-up by clicking a link provided in an email.

Typically, you will find the registration and login links in the top right corner of the database or resource collections.

Our eTextbook collections offer a variety of services beyond just the text needed for reading assignments. Below is a table where you can see exactly what is available in each.

Although two of three platforms have an app, all are optimized to display on your device (laptop, tablet or phone) and adjust to fit your screen. The KansasCOM Library recommends viewing through a web browser for the best performance/use of the materials.

• Available apps are linked below!

Reading Tips

Reading loads can be very heavy in medical school. Even blue light reading glasses or filters can't always ease that. Below are some solutions to help out and provide alternatives to reading on your laptop screen. 

If you have figured out other alternatives, please share so we can add them to the list!.Audio Readers

Two of our textbook platforms incorporate AI readers for you to use. They are as simple as clicking 'play' in the book you happen to be reading. Here are some screen shots so you know what to look for!

AccessMedicine

LWW Health Library

Tablets or Smartphones

Whether you are an android or apple user, you will be able to access our resources and be able to read on your handheld device. Our websites are designed to adjust to the scale of your device to make reading a little bit handier. 

PDF Downloads

Some of our textbook platforms allow you to be able to dimply download pdf files of chapters and some need a little bit of work-around to accomplished this. Whether you are planning to print or annotate the pdf file, here are easy tips to obtain them.

Printing

Reading from a screen can get tiring whether or not you battle dry eyes. Sometimes you just want a printed copy to make notes or to be able to easily backtrack and re-read sections of the text. Downloading pdf files from textbooks is pretty straightforward, but sometimes there is no pdf download option and you really want to print. Highlight the text you want and send to the printer, or you may opt to download as a print to pdf option to save and then print when needed.  See the examples in the section above for more details.

**It is permissible for you to print without fear of copyright violation from the library resources.

Online Readers

There are a variety of free online readers available. Some require registration or a download. Some only require an internet connection to work. All vary depending on the way you want to provide the content.

You can use the links provided below to copy and paste text into the free reading software options. Nearly all of the services offer a 'free' version that requires no sign in or service fee to use. The options are pretty basic but are also adequate to just have the service read the text you want. They all offer a subscription version that offers more options and it is up to you to pay if you choose to subscribe.

I was able to find these options when I Googled 'text to speech free'. They all work in very similar ways.

• Natural Readers
• TTSReader
• Voicemaker
• 10 Best Text-to-Speech Online Tools (For Free!) in 2022

Links to eTextbook Platforms

eTextbooks

The KansasCOM Library strongly recommends students create personal user accounts with each of these services.

The majority of eTextbooks are located in three collections:

Additional eTextbooks are also located in these databases:

Why Create a Personal Account?

While there are multiple benefits to creating a personal account, there are two benefits that will impact your use of the eTextbook platforms:

1. Ability to create bookmarks
2. You'll need a personal account to use vendor apps on your phone or tablet

The KansasCOM Library recommends using your student email address to create your accounts but you may use any valid email address to set-up your accounts. Most of the library resources require you to complete the set-up by clicking a link provided in an email.

Typically, you will find the registration and login links in the top right corner of the database or resource collections.

Our eTextbook collections offer a variety of services beyond just the text needed for reading assignments. Below is a table where you can see exactly what is available in each.

Although two of three platforms have an app, all are optimized to display on your device (laptop, tablet or phone) and adjust to fit your screen. The KansasCOM Library recommends viewing through a web browser for the best performance/use of the materials.

• Available apps are linked below!

Reading Tips

Reading loads can be very heavy in medical school. Even blue light reading glasses or filters can't always ease that. Below are some solutions to help out and provide alternatives to reading on your laptop screen. 

If you have figured out other alternatives, please share so we can add them to the list!.Audio Readers

Two of our textbook platforms incorporate AI readers for you to use. They are as simple as clicking 'play' in the book you happen to be reading. Here are some screen shots so you know what to look for!

AccessMedicine

LWW Health Library

Tablets or Smartphones

Whether you are an android or apple user, you will be able to access our resources and be able to read on your handheld device. Our websites are designed to adjust to the scale of your device to make reading a little bit handier. 

PDF Downloads

Some of our textbook platforms allow you to be able to dimply download pdf files of chapters and some need a little bit of work-around to accomplished this. Whether you are planning to print or annotate the pdf file, here are easy tips to obtain them.

Printing

Reading from a screen can get tiring whether or not you battle dry eyes. Sometimes you just want a printed copy to make notes or to be able to easily backtrack and re-read sections of the text. Downloading pdf files from textbooks is pretty straightforward, but sometimes there is no pdf download option and you really want to print. Highlight the text you want and send to the printer, or you may opt to download as a print to pdf option to save and then print when needed.  See the examples in the section above for more details.

**It is permissible for you to print without fear of copyright violation from the library resources.

Online Readers

There are a variety of free online readers available. Some require registration or a download. Some only require an internet connection to work. All vary depending on the way you want to provide the content.

You can use the links provided below to copy and paste text into the free reading software options. Nearly all of the services offer a 'free' version that requires no sign in or service fee to use. The options are pretty basic but are also adequate to just have the service read the text you want. They all offer a subscription version that offers more options and it is up to you to pay if you choose to subscribe.

I was able to find these options when I Googled 'text to speech free'. They all work in very similar ways.

• Natural Readers
• TTSReader
• Voicemaker
• 10 Best Text-to-Speech Online Tools (For Free!) in 2022

Links to eTextbook Platforms

Library Account Login

You can search the library catalog, One Search, from anywhere you have internet access. You will see results whether or not you login to your account. You will need to login to your library account to see the full results for any search. It is a good idea to establish a habit of logging into your account. Your login information is the same one you use to access the student portal and all other KansasCOM resources such as email and Canvas. (Single sign on, SSO).

By logging in to your library account you will be able to:

• Save searches
• Save search results
• Easily submit interlibrary loan requests: Article copies

• To begin your search, enter your search term:

• You will likely get too many results! Our library has millions of digital article and book records available.

• Using the 'Advanced Search' you can enter additional search terms to be more specific and reduce the number of results

• Once you have narrowed down your search you can:
  • Save your search
  • Examine individual results by selecting the title
  • View the full text, cite, save the item to your account, and more!
• Use the push pin to save the item, select 'Save Query' to save your search
  • Saving searches is handy if you don't have time to examine your results or if you want to re-use the search later and see any new results that may have been added

• If you have questions or need assistance, please contact our medical librarian!

Medical Databases & Resources

Beyond the textbook collection, the KansasCOM Library offers access to other medical databases and collections. Below is a list of these along with links and a brief description of what may be found in each collection. 

As with the textbook collections, we recommend creating a personal user account. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the library!

Overview

Knowledge for Practice, Professional Communication, Scientific Literacy, and Communication Skills are all important competencies for medical practice. Learn more about the Physician Competency Reference Set (PCRS) here.  Conforming to the required academic writing form and style for various journals is a means of demonstrating competency in these domains.

The official writing style for KansasCOM is the National Library of Medicine (NLM) citation format. This format was selected because it is the most-used citation format for professional journals in the field of medicine, and is the selected format for MEDLINE/PubMed citations. Faculty, students, practitioners, and administrators must use common citation formats. Failure to adhere to required citation styles interferes in understanding for the reader and conveys a general lack of professionalism that may interfere with how the writers message is received. Failure to adhere to required citation styles may result in major funding opportunities being lost, particularly with large federal grants in medicine and science.

While you may be familiar with other citation styles such as APA or MLA, you will find that the principles with NLM style are similar. Repeated use and practice will help you to acquired the necessary skills to successfully cite. The KansasCOM Library provides you with tools to assist you and this section of our webpage is intended to do so.

RefWorks

Refworks will help with keeping track of resources you have read and plan to cite when writing. Organizing citations is easy and downloading your references in NLM style is an easy-to-use feature. You may also opt to connect your RefWorks account to Microsoft Word to easily cite as you write!

KansasCOM has an active site license for RefWorks (through our TCS Education Affiliation) in order to provide our community with a fully functioned, and fully supported, reference management solution.

RefWorks allows you to save, organize, deploy, and share references in a variety of ways.

• Collect references from a variety of sources and store them in a single location
• Organize references in folders and sub-folders by topic
• Format and create bibliographies in NLM Style
• Share folders of references with colleagues and project partners
• Insert citations into your papers with Microsoft Word or Google Docs

To register for a free account​ you must use your KansasCOM email address:. (i.e. ****@kansashsc.org), and click on the "Create Account" link from the RefWorks Login Page. 

Catch how-to videos on the RefWorks Youtube channel in order to take full advantage of your account.

Download our RefWorks registration guide: 

• Once you have created your account, it's a snap to add new items to your collection. Clicking on 'RefWorks' in the library catalog is the best way to add high quality citations to your collections. While RefWorks is fairly intuitive to use, the videos on the YouTube channel provide a quick start to maximize your use and to help you set up your account to take advantage of provided tools.
  • Set NLM as your preferred citation style, you can easily switch between various styles
  • Upload your citations from other citation platforms
  • Integrates with Microsoft Word, allowing you to cite as you write
  • Create folders to stay organized
  • Add the 'Save to RefWorks' tool to you browser toolbar
  • and so much more!

The tool to integrate with Word is already install and waiting for you to connect your account

Access the open access citation manual:

Be sure to login to your library account in One Search. It's as easy as logging in to your library account.

Visit our 'Explore One Search' webpage for more information.

Explore our vast library of online resources

Be sure to create your account in BrowZine. It's as easy as logging in to your library account.

Searching

If you've searched using any kind of database or even only used a search engine, like Google or Bing, you should have some idea about how to search using the KansasCOM Library. Even if you haven't, the basic features should be a little intuitive.

Ultimately, the library staff encourages you to reach out for help as needed. We are here to help you understand how to search for research studies, background information, practice guidelines and about anything else you may be interested in locating.

Tips for Searching Library Resources

• Use advanced search features when possible to limit your results
• Use one word or term or phrase per search blank to search more effectively
• Use tools to limit your results; these are things like: language, dates, resource type (usually located in a menu bar on the left side of the screen)
• Take advantage of using Boolean operators when searching: AND, OR, NOT
  • AND limits results to those that contain all of the search terms you have used
  • OR broadens your search to include everything that mentions any of your search terms
    • this can be helpful if you're not sure what terms might yield results
  • NOT excludes results that contain terms you want to avoid in order to limit your results
  • If there aren't drop-down menus for Boolean operators and only one search blank is available, enter the operators between search terms in ALL CAPS
    • Usually you will see multiple search blanks when you elect to do an advanced search

Check out the information about Evidence-Based Medicine and searching farther down on this webpage for specific help with medical research

Set-up an appointment with the library's medical librarian for assistance with searching. Consult our expert researcher! See the 'Schedule an Appointment' box on the left.

What is Interlibrary Loan?

Interlibrary loan is a service offered to our students, faculty and staff to help locate and borrow resources that are not held by the KCOM Library. Interlibrary loan allows the library to help locate materials and request that they be sent digitally (when available) to be delivered to your email.*

Who can use Interlibrary Loan?

Currently the only eligible individuals able to take advantage of Interlibrary loan are the following:

• All students, faculty, preceptors and staff on campus or remote
• Alumni and Library Guests are not eligible to use the interlibrary loan service

A Quick Guide for Using Interlibrary Loan

• Step One

• Search for your item in OneSearch, the library online catalog
• If the item does not come up in your search in OneSearch, click on "expand your search" at the top of the page:
  
  

• Step Two

• Locate the item and click on "Get it for me from other libraries"
  
• If promoted, please "sign-in" using your KSCOM email address and password
• Once signed in, click on the "Get a digital copy:" icon:
  
• Click "Get it"
• Follow the status of your request by checking your library account.

Watch your email

• Digital items are delivered via your ****@kansashsc.org email account
• Articles and chapters usually arrive in your inbox within 24 hours
• The email will contain a download link
• Please contact the library directly if you have questions

What Can and Can't Be Requested?

For information about borrowing physical print materials such as books, please contact the librarian.

1. ASK - Convert the need for information into a focused clinical question. Use the PICO framework. 

2. ACQUIRE - Track down the best evidence with which to answer that question.

3. APPRAISE - Critically appraise the evidence for its validity, impact, and applicability.

4. APPLY - Integrate the evidence with your clinical expertise and your patient's characteristics and values. 

5. ASSESS - Assess the results of your intervention. 

Two Cardinal Rules of EBM

1. Not all evidence is created equal - A hierarchy of evidence guides clinical decision-making.
2. Evidence alone is never enough - Competent physicians balance risks and benefits of management strategies in the context of patient values and preferences.

  Additional Information Sources

This seven module introduction to Evidence-Based Practice research is key to understanding the value and process for locating high-quality research studies. The modules are self-paced to allow you to fully understand the principles presented and apply them to your own research.

© 2019 Duke University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. This is an open-access publication distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike license.

Experimental vs. Observational Studies

An observational study is a study in which the investigator cannot control the assignment of treatment to subjects because the participants or conditions are not directly assigned by the researcher.

• Examines predetermined treatments, interventions, policies, and their effects
• Four main types: case series, case-control studies, cross-sectional studies, and cohort studies

In an experimental study, the investigators directly manipulate or assign participants to different interventions or environments

Experimental studies that involve humans are called clinical trials. They fall into two categories: those with controls, and those without controls.

• Controlled trials - studies in which the experimental drug or procedure is compared with another drug or procedure
• Uncontrolled trials - studies in which the investigators' experience with the experimental drug or procedure is described, but the treatment is not compared with another treatment

Definitions taken from: White SE. Basic & Clinical Biostatistics. 5th ed. New York, N.Y: McGraw-Hill Education LLC; 2020.Retrieved April 21, 2022 from AccessMedicine

Levels of Evidence Pyramid

Not all resources in pyramid are available at the KansasCOM Library. Check with Library staff for assistance, access the list below, or visit the full database list.

Links to Evidence Based Medicine Resources

The KansasCOM Library provides access to most of the resources identified on the Levels of Evidence Pyramid. The links below will take you directly to those resources.

Meta-Analysis & Systematic Reviews

Critically Appraised Topics

Randomized Controlled Studies, Cohort Studies, Case Control Studies, Case Reports/Case Series

Background Information & Expert Opinions

PICO may be a new way for you to think about and search for research information. You may consider using this worksheet to help develop your PICO question. Even experienced researchers rely on tools like this when beginning research!

The PICO format helps you

• form an appropriate, focused question
• identify key concepts and brainstorm search terms
• develop a strong search strategy
• obtain a manageable number of pertinent results
• appraise results for relevance

Adapted from Developing a PICO Question Tutorial: Part 1 of a 2 part tutorial series from Marymount Library's PICO Tutorials. 

The PICO model can help you formulate a good clinical question. Sometimes it's referred to as PICO-T, containing an optional 5th factor. 

Foreground and Background Questions

Clinical questions are categorized as background or foreground. Once you determine your question type you may want to use the "Asking PICOT Questions Template" document to develop your question.

Background Questions

• Ask to obtain general knowledge about an illness, condition, or disease
• Ask who, what, when, where, how, or why

Foreground Questions

• Ask for specific knowledge to inform clinical decisions
• Deal with specific patient or population; more complex than background questions

Framing a PICO Question

Foreground questions can be further classified into four groups: diagnosis, therapy, prognosis, and etiology/harm. Certain study designs are better for answering particular question types. 

• The "Appropriate Study Types" column lists study designs best suited to each question type, in order of utility.

Getting Started with Searching

• Consider downloading the template above as you begin to learn to ask PICO questions. In addition to the four main types of questions, two additional types of questions listed that will help guide you in this process. The second page of the document provides short definitions for the type of questions along with samples of questions.
• Consider using PubMed for searching. They have set up clinical queries that filter your results to aid in your searches.
• Consider watching this video that shows how to search and limit your results in PubMed.
• Consider watching this video that shows how to search for the full text of articles not freely available in PubMed.

Adapted from:

• Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk EF-O. Evidence-based practice in nursing & healthcare : a guide to best practice. NULL. Wolters Kluwer; 2011.
• Health (Nursing, Medicine, Allied Health) Guide from NYU Libraries: https://guides.nyu.edu/health/framing-questions#Background%20Questions

Research Assistance

Whether you are a novice or a veteran researcher, a little assistance can be critical for achieving successful results. Our library staff has extensive education and experience in utilizing databases. We understand the unique qualities of every research request and will be happy to help you through the process.

• Use our 'Research Request' form to tell us a little about your research needs and suggest a meeting time or use the appointment scheduler located in the menu to the left.

​​​​​​​

MEDLINE & PubMed

Searching PubMed is often considered essential for medical health professionals and researchers. Research articles indexed using MeSH form a subset of the PubMed database, MEDLINE, and are included in One Search. There are specific search tools and methods that are particular to PubMed that do not translate well to that search interface. Because there are multiple ways to search using PubMed it is important to understand the basics of searching. The videos below will help you to navigate this resource and access full text articles.

Searching

You can use these links to connect directly to MEDLINE or PubMed:

Keep in mind, our medical librarian is always here to help you! You can create an appointment to meet virtually or in-person by clicking the link below.

This excellent video series from Welch Medical Library @ Johns Hopkins University demonstrates how to use PubMed effectively to build an advanced search.