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Pharmacy Students and Residents: Getting Started at UC San Diego: Find Articles

A guide for new Pharmacy students and residents on the resources and services available at the UC San Diego Library.

How Can I Find Articles on My Topic?

PubMed

The key database you will use quite often is PubMed.  Go beyond just entering keywords and learn how to make the database work harder for you.  

  • Learn how to use Clinical Queries and Limits.  
  • Check the PubMed User Guide & FAQs webpage for help with your searching.
  • Use My NCBI to set up filters
  • Know that MeSH terms can make a big difference -- call me if you need help with a search

 

Where else to check?

Not sure where to start?  Maybe your topic is not covered well in PubMed and another database will do better.

How Can I Find a Specific Article?

UC Library Search UC Library Search includes all UC Libraries and some of Worldcat

UC Library Search, accessible from the search box on the library's homepage, helps you locate books, film, music, maps, and various other materials at the UC San Diego Library and beyond. It also contains a limited number of online journals and newspaper articles. You may search by keyword, title, and author, and filter your search to what is available online. You can also place an interlibrary loan request through UC Library Search for materials at other UC campuses or libraries worldwide using your Single Sign-On credentials.

 

Search Tips 

  • Sign in to access full results lists, electronic resources, request items, and save records. To access electronic resources, you must be logged into the VPN.
  • Capitalize the operators AND, OR, NOT when combining key search terms.
  • To request items that the Library doesn't have click the Request button.
  • Click Digitalization to request scans of print book chapters or print articles.

 

UC Library Search is one part of your complete search.

 

UC Library Search does not include all the content to which the Library subscribes. To extend your search, try a database. The database you use depends on the topic or subject you have chosen and the type of information you need to access. You may choose among broad subject areas (e.g., biology, art, political science, etc.), as well as interdisciplinary databases or ones that search across multiple disciplines. 

You must also be logged into the VPN to access the information for any database with a blue lock icon. blue locked padlock

A-Z Databases

Getting Full Text Articles

Get it at UC 

The full text of an article within a database is provided in multiple formats. Look for:

  • An HTML link
  • PDF link
  • Link to Get it at UC

The Get it at UC link will provide you options for how to access the full text of the article. If there are no online links available, this means you need to request the item through Interlibrary Loan if a print version is not available at UC San Diego. The Library will deliver the full text of an article to you free of charge. When requesting you will need your Library ID number.

Your library card/account number begins with "21822" and can be found on the back of your UCSD ID card or within the UCSD app. Enter the 14-digit number without spaces.

The article I need isn't here - How can I get a copy?

Interlibrary loan (ILL) is the service libraries provide when they do not own the item you want.  We will work with our partner libraries and borrow a book, video, or get a scan of a journal article at your request. 

  • If working in a database, look for the Request link in UC-eLinks or Get It at UC. 
     
  • Know the details of a specific citation you need?  If so, use Request Form to look for it in UCSD's collection and make your request if we don't have it.