Clinical Laboratory Science: Databases
Created by Health Science Librarians
Core Databases for CLS/MDS Students
- CINAHL Plus with Full TextAllied Health sciences & Nursing, including some full text. Good for finding info about [allied] health sciences professions.
- Cross Database Search (ALL NCBI)--formerly Entrez cross database search)Search across all NCBI/National Center for Biotechnology Information databases in the search box at the top or select individual NCBI databases to search.
- EmbaseInternational biomedical literature. Includes drug discovery & development, medical device development; supports evidence-based searching.
- Google ScholarFocus on scholarly literature. Good for otherwise hard to find resources, including tests & measures.
Interdisciplinary Databases
- LexisNexis Academic (Please see Nexis Uni)
Clinical Information
Medical, Drug and Patient Information
- UpToDateClinical resource specifically designed to answer the clinical questions that arise in daily practice and to do so quickly and easily so that it can be used right at the point of care for a broad range of hospital and medical specialties. Access: Available in EPIC or onsite at UNC Health Chapel Hill & Hillsborough locations when on Skynet.
Drug Information
In addition to the drug information in ClincalKey and UptoDate, see these resources:
- Facts & Comparisons e-Answers
Drug information, interactions, herbal information, and patient medication handouts are seamlessly updated and can be customized; includes Drug Facts and Comparisons, Drug Interaction FactsTM, The Review of Natural Products and Med Facts: Patient Information. - Micromedex (On Campus Only)
Search for drug information by drug, disease, or toxicology. Additional tools (accessed via top tabs) provide information about drug interactions; IV compatibility; drug ID; and drug comparisons. NeoFax provides pediatric drug information. Use mobile instructions for off-campus access. - Natural Medicines
Evidence-based information about complementary and alternative therapies including herbal remedies and supplements, with validated rating scales and grades to quickly evaluate quality; comprehensive monographs designed to facilitate clinical decision making. Includes content drawn from the former Natural Standard and Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits available.
Patient Education
In addition to the patient education materials available in ClinicalKey, UptoDate and Micromedex, see these resources:
- MedlinePlusNational Institutes of Health's Web site for patients and their families and friends providing information about diseases, conditions, and wellness issues in a variety of languages.
Additional Guides of Interest
- Molecular Biology Data SourcesThis guide was developed to assist researchers in identifying and accessing a variety of publicly available molecular biology data from authoritative sources. It provides resources for locating molecular biology data sets. These resources are divided into the following sections: Sequence Data; Genes and Expression; and Structure.
Aids for Organizing Your Search
Use this guide to help visualize and plan your search:
- From Purdue Libraries Creating a Search Strategy Guide: Constructing a Search Statement Worksheet (.pdf download).
Use this log to keep your search organized and to document your search strategy for reporting:
Find @ UNC
Click on the 
button in database results to:
- Go directly to most online articles
- Export article citations to Endnote or to formats for other reference managers
- Use Google Scholar or the Google Scholar Button browser add-in to find free full text.
- Search the UNC-CH Library Catalog to find the print journal
- Send an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) request if the journal is not owned by UNC-CH
UNC Clinical Laboratory Science Citation Style
- ICJME Samples of Formatted ReferencesBased on the International Committee of Medical Journal Editors (ICMJE) guidance to authors.
- Citing Medicine, 2nd editionDetails for citing according to recommendations of the ICJME, including fuller citations and explanations, are in Citing Medicine.
Why Use Multiple Databases?
Different databases focus on different areas of the literature, which is particularly true in MDS/CLS. A 2003 study of the clinical laboratory science literature (including molecular diagnostic science) indicated that, “Comprehensive coverage of the literature of the field can only be accomplished through the use of multiple bibliographic databases, although each of the various indexing services fills an important niche.” Reference: Delwiche, FA. Mapping the Literature of Clinical Laboratory Science. J Med Libr Assoc 91(3), July 2003, p 309.
Learn How to Use Library Databases
- Database Tips GuideLearn how to search effectively for citations and links to the full text of articles using library databases such as PubMed.
A to Z Databases
- browse by title
- browse by subject
- search by database name