KEEPING UP WITH VETERINARY KNOWLEDGE
The information resources and services that you are accustomed to using may not be freely available once you leave academia. Here are some strategies for getting the information resources you need to practice effectively.
Strategies
Association Memberships: Your professional organizations will generally provide a professional journal and current news as part of your membership. Other related publications may be offered at discounted rates. Be sure to activate the online access for the subscriptions to which you are entitled.
Continuing Education: You will generally be provided with the latest information at your continuing education courses. If the course is based at an academic institution, you may also be able to spend time at the library before or after the course to collect additional materials.
Libraries:
- Alumni or Friends of the Library relationships with the academic institutions you have attended. Example: North Carolina State University - Friends of the Library membership benefits
- Public library subscriptions and services may include remote access to collections of full-text journals and newspaper articles. Interlibrary loan may be available at no charge or a minimal cost. Example: Wake County Public Libraries - Electronic Resources includes Academic Search Premier and other medicine and science and business resources from NCLIVE. Most public libraries also provide free Interlibrary Loan
- State university or state agency libraries may be open to the public living or working within that state.
- National Network of Libraries of Medicine - Loansome Doc service. Arrangements may be made with a medical or veterinary library to provide specific materials you request for a pre-arranged, per-item fee.
Stay Connected with Academia: Maintain an adjunct faculty role or offer to precept students. The students will have remote access to the university resources, and the academic institution may also be able to provide resources or services to you as a preceptor depending on their licensing arrangements.
Information Resources
- Veterinary Information Network (VIN) - student subcriptions are generally subsidized by sponsors; for others the charge is $50/year.
- AVMA and Partners Web Portal for Veterinarians under development. In the meantime, see Free Access Veterinary Information Resources from the National Library of Medicine.
- Drug Information - The FDA's Center for Veterinary Medicine provides good information, especially on approved drugs and pet foods. You can get email or RSS feed updates from them.
- Core Textbooks for your practice area--will you keep them up to date with the latest edition?
- Databases - PubMed and Agricola and others linked above are free. Whether the free ones are sufficient depends upon your subject focus. Commercial databases are available such as VetMed Resource from CABI Publishing.
- Trade magazines and newsletters (print, web, or e-mail versions)
Example: PorkNet provides industry news, updates from professional meetings and research groups related to swine health and management, and job listings.
Visit the VML's CVM Instruction Support page for other educational materials.
Contact Veterinary Medicine Library Staff for support with exploring any of the options and resources mentioned above, or other questions you might have.
|
