Resident utilization of information technology.
OBJECTIVE
To determine if a simple educational intervention can increase resident physician literature search activity.


METHODS
Randomized controlled trial.


METHODS
University hospital-based internal medicine training program.


METHODS
Forty-eight medical residents rotating on the general internal medicine service.


METHODS
One-hour didactic session, the use of well-built clinical question cards, and practical sessions in clinical question building.


RESULTS
Objective data from the library information system that included the number of log-ons to medline, searching volume, abstracts viewed, full-text articles viewed, and time spent searching. Median search activity as measured per person per week (control vs intervention): number of log-ons to medline (2.1 vs 4.4, P <.001); total number of search sets (24.0 vs 74.2, P <.001); abstracts viewed (5.8 vs 17.7, P=.001); articles viewed (1.0 vs 2.6, P=.005); and hours spent searching (0.8 vs 2.4, P <.001).


CONCLUSIONS
A simple educational intervention can markedly increase resident searching activity.
Cabell
C H
CH
Department of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, NC 27710, USA. chris.cabell@duke.edu
Schardt
C
C
Sanders
L
L
Corey
G R
GR
Keitz
S A
SA
D000328:Adult; D015510:Clinical Medicine / Q000193:education*; D003200:Computer User Training; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems; D007396:Internship and Residency; D016239:MEDLINE; D008297:Male