The following is a list of resources I have found most useful as I’ve gone through medical school. They are also the resources used most often to generate the posts found on Medical VS. And as an added bonus … all these resources are free online!
Medscape is a great resource for virtually everything medicine related. It is fantastic for many reasons, not the least of which, is that it’s free. At McMaster we do get access to Up To Date, but when I am stationed at distant sites or during electives I don’t have access. I’ve found Medscape to be just as “up to date” as any other resource out there. They also have a great smartphone app which is also free.
Wikipedia, despite all the naysayers out there, has been a great resource too. There have been times when the information presented has not been entirely correct, or not at a sufficiently deep level for medical training, but it’s great to get a surface overview of virtually anything you will come across.
Radiopaedia is a fantastic site for anything to do with imaging. CT, MRI, PET, X-ray, Ultrasound, you name it, it’s there. Brilliant teaching courses, quizzes and interactive stuff too.
Handwritten Tutorials is an excellent channel on YouTube for medical students. I’ve experimented with a lot of different YouTube channels and I’ve found some of them to be too long, too boring, (or worse) teach incorrect things. I haven’t watched all their videos, but from what I’ve seen of Handwritten Tutorials they have been succinct, entertaining and of good scientific quality.
The AAFP (American Association of Family Physicians) has incredible online resources for generalist practice. Review papers, position papers, excellent teaching articles and more can be found on their site.
The JAMA Rational Clinical Examination Series is excellent and likely part of the curriculum at most medical schools these days. Basically, it takes a critical look at virtually every physical exam manoeuvre taught to doctors and reports on its value as a diagnostic tool.
Lab Tests Online is a great site for finding out what lab tests actually measure. I can’t count the number of times I’ve prepared a case presentation and realized I don’t understand what tests have been ordered. This site has saved me more than once.
DermNet NZ is the best online resource for dermatology I’ve ever come across. I’ve seen it used by more staff/attending physicians than I can remember. Most of them have been non-dermatologists too. If you want to know what that rash is, this is the place to find out.