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Informational Sources for an Evidence Based Practice

Stephen C. Allison, PT, PhD

June 4, 2012

Question

What database do you use first to find the information you want?  

Answer

I find myself most frequently going to PubMed Clinical Queries to begin my searches. If I can, I find a systematic review or a randomized controlled trial for the therapy. I just don't want to waste my time looking at a bunch of other stuff. [PubMed Clinical Queries] takes me right to the top of the evidence hierarchy. If I find that I am not getting great result there, I will also often go to PEDro and [APTA's] Hooked on Evidence.  I like to look at Hooked sometimes because of those additional things you get - the extractions of information that can save you time on your critical appraisal.  But, for me the best start is PubMed Clinical Queries.


stephen c allison

Stephen C. Allison, PT, PhD

Stephen C. Allison is a physical therapist engaged in teaching, research, and consultation. He holds degrees from Brigham Young University (BS), Baylor University (MPT), the U.S. Army War College (MSS), and The University of Texas at Austin (PhD). He was a faculty member and Director of the U.S. Army-Baylor University Graduate Program in Physical Therapy at Fort Sam Houston, Texas from 1994 - 2001. He has numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals and serves as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Orthopaedic and Sports Physical Therapy. Dr. Allison currently holds faculty appointments at Baylor University and Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, where he holds the Evidence in Motion Chair in Evidence-Based Practice. Dr. Allison is also working for the US Army Research Institute for Environmental Medicine to develop computational and statistical models to predict injury and physical performance deficits in military training. He is a nationally known speaker and an expert on the integration of research evidence in clinical practice.


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