Use of Web-based library resources by medical students in community and ambulatory settings.

Purpose: The purpose was to evaluate the use of Web-based library resources by third-year medical students.

Setting/participants/resources: Third-year medical students (147) in a twelve-week multidisciplinary primary care rotation in community and ambulatory settings.

Methodology: Individual user surveys and log file analysis of Website were used.

Results/outcomes: Twenty resource topics were compiled into a Website to provide students with access to electronic library resources from any community-based clerkship location. These resource topics, covering subjects such as hypertension and back pain, linked to curriculum training problems, full-text journal articles, MEDLINE searches, electronic book chapters, and relevant Websites. More than half of the students (69%) accessed the Website on a daily or weekly basis. Over 80% thought the Website was a valuable addition to their clerkship.

Discussion/conclusion: Web-based information resources can provide curriculum support to students for whom access to the library is difficult and time consuming.