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Boxer Library

UpToDate

Clinical Topics in UpToDate

 

What is a clinical topic? 

The clinical topic is a summary of research/best practices in a particular clinical area. Each topic is created by a group of physicians and is updated as new research is released. Since it is a summary, the content is easy to read and digest quickly, which is great for clinical practice. However, being a summary, you are depending on other's interpretations. Each UpToDate clinical topic is mainly textual with links to things like tables and graphics embedded in the text.


How is a topic created? 

All topics are authored, edited, and updated by physicians who are experts in their particular specialty. The author information is underneath the topic title, along with a date indicating when the topic was last updated. The editors of these topics also periodically review the literature to ensure that the topic is up to date. The last month the literature was checked is also noted at the top. 

 

What is the easiest way to navigate the content? 

The easiest way to navigate content is to use the menu on the left side of the page. If you are in the app, the menu will be the default screen for the topic. 

What types of links are in UpToDate?

  • Calculator Links
    • These links connect to relevant calculators within UpToDate, ex. Body Mass Index (BMI), Framingham, etc. If you are using a mobile device, the calculator will adjust to the size of your screen.  Bonus tip: If you are using the mobile version, you can favorite calculators for easy access. 
  • Citation Links
    • The topic's content is a summary of the best research and practices in that particular area. The authors/editors of this content identify this research with numbers. When you click on a number, you will be led to the full citation. If you are using the web version of UpToDate, you can click on "check for full text availability" to see if the library has access to full text. If in the app version, copy the article title and paste that title in the LibrarySearch box to find full text.  
  • Drug Links
    • UpToDate has some drug information via LexiComp. Included are dosing information, adverse reactions, contraindications, and more. However, the drug information provided is fairly basic. If you want more in-depth drug information, please use MicroMedex. 
  • Graphics Links
    • UpToDate has a few types of graphics. Instead of being embedded into the topic, they are accessible via links in the text. Once you click on a link, the image or table will adjust to the size of your screen for easy viewing. In the web version, you can even click on "Download to PowerPoint" to include graphics in your presentations. To learn how to download images, view "How to Download Images" in UpToDate. 
  • Related Topics Links 
    • One of the great things about UpToDate is that relevant related topics are linked right in the text.