About
Searching the Medical Literature
Being able to develop and conduct appropriate and robust literature searches of medical resources and databases is a fundamental skill for life science professionals. Literature searches inform a wide range of research and are essential when identifying knowledge gaps, framing new research, and preparing accurate reports and dossiers. While anyone can quickly find vast amounts of information in journals and databases, or use AI tools to conduct rapid reviews, it takes specialized skills and continuous learning to develop and perform relevant and efficient searches of large databases such as MEDLINE and Google Scholar. The ability to identify relevant studies and reliable sources of studies is crucial to producing well-evidenced, impactful reports and evidence-based research and clinical strategies.
By mastering these techniques, you can ensure your work is conducted to high standards and uses information that is current and relevant.
Programme
This workshop will be divided into two sessions.
Session 1 – Discover:
- How to identify different types of information source
- Key reliable websites and databases for various types medical information
- Tools for choosing reliable/relevant resources
Session 2 – Learn how to:
- Identify the components of a search question
- Turn questions into search strategies
- Search MEDLINE via PubMed, including:
- how to use the advanced search
- how to utilize/apply Medical Subject Headings (Mesh) or other controlled vocabulary
- Adapt search strategies to run effectively in services such as Google Search and Google Scholar
The facilitator will give live demonstrations of searches in both PubMed and Google Scholar and will show how to broaden or narrow search strategies.
Note that instruction for creating complex search strategies is not covered in this workshop.
Clinical Affairs; Medical Science Liaison; Medical Writers; Clinical Operations; Quality Assurance; Regulatory Affairs; Research & Development; Pharma and Biotech, CROs, research centres and university faculties of applied sciences or biotechnology.
Participant experience
No formal search training or expertise is necessary for enrollment.
This course will be an interactive workshop.
Participants can expect a mix of lectures, live demonstrations, and group work to explore approaches to database and website searching.
Lecturers
Julie Glanville
Julie is a qualified librarian who has been working in the field of systematic reviews for more than 30 years. She has worked in academic research organisations and consultancy and is now an independent consultant, based in York in the United Kingdom. She provides advice, research, and training in information retrieval which typically involves designing and conducting search strategies to find research evidence. Although Julie’s focus is on evidence syntheses, she also provides introductory training in how to develop and run searches in the major bibliographic databases such as MEDLINE.
Julie is a co-author of the Cochrane Handbook chapter on searching for evidence, has contributed to the development of systematic review guidance for several organisations including the (English) Centre for Reviews and Dissemination and the European Food Safety Authority. She is also a co-author of the PRISMA 2020 revision. She co-manages two web resources: the ISSG Search Filter Resource and the SuRe Info guide to evidence-based information retrieval for health technology assessment. Julie has published extensively on literature searching with a particular focus on search filter design, identifying studies for systematic reviews and text mining applications in systematic reviewing.
Online Training – 2 modules
MODULE 1 |
MODULE 2 |
After the registration, you will receive all details about the connection.
The course will proceed with a minimum number of participants. Should this number not be reached the registered participants will be notified one week prior to the commencement of the course.
Early Bird:
Ordinary:
Freelance – Individual – Academy – Public Administration:
* for Italian companies: +22% VAT
The fee includes: tuition, organizational office assistance, teaching materials and attendance certificate that will be sent after the training via e-mail.
Roberta Alberti
Events & Training Manager
At the end of the training, you will be able to
Online interactive training on Zoom platform.
LS Academy will provide the access link to the virtual platform a few days before the training.
