Finding Medical Articles: step by step

1. Find an article using MEDLINE through Ovid

If you're on campus or connecting with UMKC VPN:

1. Go to the UMKC Health Sciences Library website.
2. Click on "Quick Links" drop down menu and click on Medline through Ovid.
3. Search the database & select individual articles you would like to read. Don't hesitate to ask for assistance if you are not finding what you need.

If you're off-campus and NOT using a UMKC Outlook/Exchange account:

1. Go to the UMKC Health Sciences Library website.
2. Click on "Quick Links" drop down menu and click on Medline through Ovid.
3. When prompted, provide your Single Sign-On user name and password or a 9-digit UMKC ID number followed by the letter k (example: 0123456789k) and last name.
4. Search the database & select individual articles you would like to read. Don't hesitate to ask for assistance if you are not finding what you need.

2. Get the full text of the article

1. Is it available on the web?

   Some articles are available full text if they have an "Ovid Full Text" link under the citation. You can read online, print, or email the text of the article by clicking on the link. Also check the "Search for full-text" to see if the journal is online in another database we own.

2. Is it available in the library in paper?
   
   You can check to see if the Health Sciences Library has the journal on the shelf while you are doing your search if you use Medline through Ovid. Underneath the citation information, click on "Library Holdings." This link opens the Merlin library catalog, looking for the journal. Under "UMK HSL" you will see "LIB. HAS" and the dates of the journals we own. Journals may be checked out or photocopied in the library. If we do not own the journal, you will see a note: "No matches found..."

3. If the library doesn't have the article, can I still get it?

   If we do not subscribe to the journal, you may request it via interlibrary loan. Interlibrary loans usually take from 7 to 14 days to arrive and will be sent to either your campus mailbox or email address.

   To order an article via interlibrary loan you have several options:

   1. Use the request form.
   2. Order articles while searching Medline through Ovid by clicking the box next to the desired citation and clicking "Order" at the bottom of the screen.
   3. Order articles while searching PubMed by clicking the box next to the desired citation and clicking "Send to Order" at the top of the screen. To use this service through PubMed, you will need to set up an account with the interlibrary loan department at 816-235-1878 before using this service.
   4. Paper forms in the library at the front desk.

3. Retrieve the journals (find them on the shelves or request that articles be sent from another library)

1. If we do subscribe to the journal you need, check the date of the issue you're looking for.
   • The latest issues of each journal is in the journal display area (in the southwest corner of the Health Sciences Library near the windows). Journals are arranged alphabetically.
   • All other issues (prior to the latest issue) are in the bound journal area (in the library stacks towards the northwest corner of the Health Sciences Library). Journals are arranged alphabetically.
   • If you can not find the issue you need in either place, please ask the library staff for help.

4. Copy or check out the journals

1. The library offers two photocopy machines. A copy card costs $1 and then you must add money to it to make copies. Please bring dollar bills to use the machine.
   
2. You may also check out the journals you need. You may check out a journal for two days at a time.
   

For assistance, please call the Health Sciences Library (816) 235-1880 or email the reference librarian.