title: Information-Seeking Behaviors of Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Web-Based Survey.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Medical students face an information-rich environment in which retrieval and appraisal strategies are increasingly important.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To describe medical students' current pattern of health information resource use and characterize their experience of instruction on information search and appraisal.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a cross-sectional web-based survey of students registered in the four-year MD Program at Dalhousie University (Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Saint John, New Brunswick, sites), Canada. We collected self-reported data on information-seeking behavior, instruction, and evaluation of resources in the context of their medical education. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Surveys were returned by 213 of 462 eligible students (46.1%). Most respondents (165/204, 80.9%) recalled receiving formal instruction regarding information searches, but this seldom included nontraditional tools such as Google (23/107, 11.1%), Wikipedia, or social media. In their daily practice, however, they reported heavy use of these tools, as well as EBM summaries. Accessibility, understandability, and overall usefulness were common features of highly used resources. Students identified challenges managing information and/or resource overload and source accessibility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Medical students receive instruction primarily on searching and assessing primary medical literature. In their daily practice, however, they rely heavily on nontraditional tools as well as EBM summaries. Attention to appropriate use and appraisal of nontraditional sources might enhance the current EBM curriculum.
authors.affiliation: Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada. aoife.ocarroll@dal.ca.
authors.forename: Aoife Marie
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4867-7494
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: O'Carroll
authors.forename: Erin Patricia
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5556-1994
authors.initials: EP
authors.lastname: Westby
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5359-5736
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dooley
authors.forename: Kevin E
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2267-5714
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Gordon
keywords: Internet; information retrieval; information-seeking behavior; medical education; medical students