What’s the difference between PubMed and MEDLINE? and how do you best search MEDLINE anyway?

Like most medical doctors, we have searched for information on how to care for patients. As students, you may wish to search to answer a question, or to obtain background information for a project or presentation (and once you are on call, we assure you that you will be searching at 3am for evidence supporting your next option in treating a patient). Most of us with an unanswered question will ask colleagues or local experts but when they are uncertain or differ then it is appropriate to search published research for solutions. MEDLINE is most commonly used, and can be accessed via PubMed (www.pubmed.com).