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Clinical Resource Toolkit: DynaMed

Clinical toolkit of resources commonly used in the 3rd and 4th year

DynaMed @ UCFCOMHSL

How do I access DynaMed at UCF COM Health Sciences Library?

DynaMed can be accessed from the link in the Resources box below, or through the Health Sciences Library website:

  • In the Online Databases box on the homepage
  • By selecting Online Databases in the right navigation menu of the website & searching for "DynaMed."

Resources

Resource Link
Other Useful Links

DynaMed Support

Additional support resources are available through the DynaMed Support page. DynaMed Support can also be contacted directly using the provided contact link below.

Library Support

If you have any questions or need additional support with any of the library's resources, you can stop by and visit the Health Sciences Library Front Desk during our desk hours of 8:00am - 5:00pm, Monday through Friday, or contact the Library using one of the options below.

Overview

What is DynaMed?
  • An evidence-based, clinical reference tool created by physicians for physicians for use at the "point of care."
  • Contains clinically-organized summaries for more than 3,200 topics
  • Monitors the content of over 500 medical journals and systematic evidence review databases on a daily basis
  • Utilizes a strict 7-step process of systematic literature surveillance to determine the best available evidence
How is DynaMed maintained and updated?

What can I use Dynamed for?

DynaMed Content Organization

DynaMed organizes it's content into Topic Pages containing clinically relevant information in a standardized layout for ease of access & information retrieval. Topic pages are organized into the following 6 categories:

 

Overview This Topic page can contain an overview on a single Topic (i.e. Dyspnea) or it can contain a list of Topic pages for a broad topic area (i.e. Pediatrics).
Condition This Topic page contains information on conditions, syndromes, and diseases; they are labeled Condition in the search results.
Drug This Topic page contains information on the drug's dosing, indications, contraindications, interactions, administration, monitoring, and adverse effects; they are labeled Drug in the search results.
Lab This Topic page contains information on the lab's indications, sample collection, test methodology, and normal/abnormal reference ranges & results; they are labeled Lab in the search results.
Image All searches returns any relevent Image results as thumbnails at the top of the page. Further results can be reviewed by selecting Images at the top of the Results page.
Calculator All searches returns any relevent Calculators results, with their name and a basic version of the calculated formula, at the top of the Results page. Further results can be reviewed by selecting Calculators at the top of the Results page.

 

All other content in DynaMed - Symptoms, Differential Diagnosis, EBM & Diagnostic Tools, Prevention, and Patient Education/Information - can be found in one of the above categories with the majority concentrated in the Condition topic pages.

Where Do I Find Information On...

Users can search DynaMed for a wide variety of information on specific Diseases. DynaMed will return any Topic Overviews, Conditions, Drugs, Labs, Images, and Calculators that are relevant to the searched Disease.
-- Large Disease categories, such as Asthma, may also return Overviews comprised of Topic lists containing both general and population specific information for doctors and patients.
If users do not know what Disease to search for, DynaMed allows users to search by Signs & Symptoms.
-- For example: "shortness of breath" returns DynaMed Topic Overviews (Dyspnea), Conditions (COPD), Drugs, Images, and Calculators to help diagnose the possible cause of the presented Sign or Symptom.
Within the DynaMed Condition page, under the Diagnosis sub-heading, the Differential Diagnosis section lists possible differential diagnosis with links to their relevant Condition pages.

  • Diagnostic Tools

    The Diagnosis sub-heading on the Condition topic page contains information on Diagnostic Tests & Tools for that condition. The "Making the Diagnosis" sub-section contains the information on what test/tools should be used to confirm the diagnosis.
    -- Other sub-sections contain information on further Tests, Labs, and Imaging Studies to provide a more detailed diagnosis, assess comorbidities, or provide alternate diagnosis.

  • Evidence Based Medicine (EBM)

    EBM information can be found throughout the Condition page, but it is generally concentrated in the Treatment sub-heading. Evidence Grades or Levels are provided next to the treatment recommendations where available.
    -- Information regarding the criteria for the Evidence Grade or Level, along with any association/society recommendations, are included as links.

Drugs can be searched by name or condition specific medication can be found in the "Medication" sub-section under the Treatment sub-heading on the Condition page.
DynaMed contains the Micromedex Clinical Knowledge Suite Drug Content. Micromedex provides drug information on dosage, therapeutic use, cautions, comparative efficacy, approved and off-label indications, pharmacokinetics, clinical applications, and interactions of medications.
DynaMed provides access to 500+ clinical Calculators from MedCalc 3000; these calculators cover medical equations, clinical criteria, decision trees, statistics, and unit/dose converters. The Calculators can be accessed via search results, or from a direct link on the homepage.
-- When a term is searched, any Calculators that may be relevant are returned in the search results - a useful method if users are not sure what Calculator they need.
-- The Calculator link on the homepage takes users to the complete list of available Calculators which may be searched alphabetically or by specialty.
Information on Lab tests can be found by searching for a specific test, or by looking under the Treatment sub-heading in a Condition or Overview page.
-- Lab pages contain information on synonyms, reference range, speciman collection, methodology, and abnormal/inconclusive results.
Information on Prevention, if available, can be found in the Overview or Condition pages in DynaMed under the sub-heading Prevention and Screening.
DynaMed provides Patient Education/Information on Overview and Condition pages under the sub-heading Patient Information.
-- The Patient Information section contains links and handouts, in English and Spanish, containing information on the condition, managing the condition, and medication/medical devices.
DynaMed has partnered with ACP to provide over 4,700 medical graphics and images. When searching DynaMed, any Images that are relevant to the search term are returned at the top of the page.
-- DynaMed graphics and images include: tables, clinical photos, radiological images, algorithms, illustrations, and microscopic images.

DynaMed Mobile App

Mobile Content Access

The Health Sciences Library provides COM students with access to premium content on the DynaMed app via institutional authentication.

Please follow the instructions below to download & authenticate the DynaMed app on your mobile device.

Downloading and Authenticating the DynaMed App

 

  1. Search for DynaMed and download the free app from the iTunes App Store or the Google Play Store
  2. Open DynaMed from the Health Sciences Library website.
    •  Attention!: If you are off-campus, you must login through EZ Proxy before accessing DynaMed; do not use VPN.
  3. On the DynaMed homepage, click on the personal account icon on the top right and choose to register for a free DynaMed account.
  4. Once you've created the account, open the DynaMed app on your mobile device and log in with your personal account.  
  5. Note: Once your account is created, it is important to sign in with your credentials to ensure your new account is affiliated with your institution.
  6. The first time you log in, you are prompted to read the Personal Data Retention and Usage policy. Select the Yes button to consent to the collection of your personalized data and click Continue to finish setting up your account.
  7. Next, open the DynaMed app and sign in with your personal account.
  8. Once logged in, the app is authenticated for 3 months, after which you are prompted to re-authenticate.
  9. After you log in, you are prompted to install via one of the following options:
    • Online Only: Use the app only while connected to the internet.
    • Partial Install: Store text and image thumbnails on your device. Full images are available when you are connected to the internet. This option helps you save space on your device.
    • Full Install: Store all DynaMed content on your device. You do not need to be connected to the internet to access content on the app.

 Note: It is recommended that a Wi-Fi connection is used for the initial content download from DynaMed and when updates are available for app content. Content downloads may be large and can require a significant amount of time and data.

 

Further App Download Instructions

Below are further resources, provided by the vendor, on downloading and installing the DynaMed app on mobile devices.

Website Disclaimer

The University of Central Florida College of Medicine and the Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library are not responsible for the content of the third-party (external) sites contained in this research guide. The information provided in this guide, or through links to third-party sites, is not intended as a substitute for medical or professional advice; these links are provided for the user's convenience only. The views and opinions expressed by the third-party sites do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the University of Central Florida, the UCF College of Medicine, or the Harriet F. Ginsburg Health Sciences Library.