Medicine
This guide aims to round up the most useful resources and information related to Medicine
Library News and Events
Information about Library news, training, events and service updates.
New - Osmosis
The Library has recently acquired access to Osmosis, a health education platform of 1,800 animated videos and 22,000 integrated practice questions, covering subjects including basic science, physiology, medicine and more.
- The University of Edinburgh Student link: https://www.osmosis.org/cohort-invite?id=3139&k=ha31iTQeSFCzjBV7tWQWgdZwS7yMZz8K
- The University of Edinburgh Faculty link: https://www.osmosis.org/cohort-invite?id=3140&k=0UU4ZaavSO2nzPvDn82Bi0TfTlCyciMI
Useful Resources
- Medline: A key resource covering research, clinical practice, administration, policy and healthcare services.
- Embase: Covering pharmacology, medicine and biomedical literature this database is an essential resource.
- PsycINFO: Contains material from the fields of psychiatry, psychology and psychological related disciplines.
- Web of Science: With resources from a variety of subjects areas including over 2,500 core medical journals.
- Scopus: Encompassing health, physical sciences, social sciences and humanities subject areas.
- Cochrane Library: Contains high-quality evidence to inform healthcare decision-making.
- Other Medicine Databases
- BMJ Best Practice: Designed to support clinical decision making from diagnosis to treatment.
- UptoDate Anywhere: An evidence-based resource designed to help clinicians make decisions at the point of care.
- Cochrane Clinical Answers: Containing clinically focused summaries designed to inform decision making.
- Acland Anatomy Online: High quality videos of the human body.
- Anatomy TV: A multimedia 3D anatomy learning resource.
- Complete Anatomy by 3D4Medical
In order to gain access, you need to register while on campus, or if you are off-campus with Virtual Private Network (VPN) enabled. To set up the VPN on your device, see: https://www.ed.ac.uk/information-services/computing/desktop-personal/vpn
To get started;
Download the Complete Anatomy 2022 app via the Apple, Microsoft or Google app stores.
Register in-app while on-campus or using VPN while off-campus. After registration, the app may be used off-campus without VPN.
Open the app and complete the “sign up for free” process using your university email address
Open Settings, My Account and enter your University Activation Code (Click here for University Activation Code)
- BMJ Learning: accredited and peer reviewed learning sessions in text, video, and audio formats for students, doctors and other healthcare professionals.
- JOVE: A collection of video journals covering a wide range of subjects including Neuroscience, Medicine, Genetics and Cancer Research. Search via the E-Journal A-Z pages.
- Henry Stewart Talks: Biomedical and life Sciences Collection of over 550 seminar style talks by leading world experts.
Introduction to Ovid Medline
This recording of a Dissertation Festival session provides an introduction to searching for literature on Medline using the Ovid interface. Medline is a database of over 25 million records of medical literature including research, clinical practice, policy issues and health care services.
Intercalating medical student?
Visit this guide to Library resources and services, working with research literature, and study skills for medical students moving into their intercalated year.
Literature review & study skills resources for intercalating medical students
Unable to get access to a book or journal?
Can't find a book? If the university doesn't have a book you need for your studies then use the Request a Book Service.
Can't access an article? Use the Interlibrary Loan Service to get resources (digital or hard copies) delivered to you.
Resources for critical appraisal and quality assessment
"Critical Appraisal is the process of carefully and systematically examining research to judge its trustworthiness, and its value and relevance in a particular context. It is an essential skill for evidence-based medicine because it allows people to find and use research evidence reliably and efficiently." - CASP. 2022. Critical Appraisal Tools And Resources. [Accessed 27 September 2022].
These resources can help guide you when appraising quality of publications and studies:
- CASP Checklists https://casp-uk.net/casp-tools-checklists/
- Greenhalgh, T. (2019) How to read a paper : the basics of evidence-based medicine and healthcare. 6th ed. Hoboken, NJ, USA: Wiley Blackwell. https://discovered.ed.ac.uk/permalink/44UOE_INST/7g3mt6/alma9924167535202466
- Critically Appraising for Antiracism: Identifying racial bias in published research https://www.criticallyappraisingantiracism.org/
Comments and Feedback
- Feedback FormSuggestions or feedback on this guide are welcome. Please get in touch via the form.
Academic Support Librarian
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Borrowing laptops
The University provides short term library laptop loans for all students, and medium and long term laptop service + Mi-Fi units for students in hardship.
The Royal Infirmary Library has 5 laptops available for loan, and the Western General Hospital Library has 3 laptops available for loan.
Finding Resources
Use DiscoverEd to find the resources you need. Use DiscoverEd to explore:
- online resources
- physical resources
- special repositories
Your EASE password gives you access to your library account.
Need help searching DiscoverEd? Have a look at the help pages and FAQs.