The Influence of Medical Expertise and Information Search Skills on Medical Information Searching: Comparative Analysis From a Free Data Set

Although medical students and residents generally outperformed computer science students, they did not frequently use evidence-based tools. As previously observed, they may avoid databases due to the risk of encountering too many irrelevant articles and difficulties in applying appropriate filters to locate relevant information. Nevertheless, clinical and practical evidence-based medicine plays a crucial role in updating physicians' knowledge, improving patient care, and enhancing physician-patient relationships. Therefore, information search skills should be an integral part of medical education and continuing professional development for physicians.