Learning with Technology

OpenEvidence: A helpful clinical tool

February 7, 2025

Do you ever get overwhelmed by the amount of research and information that exists on a subject? Or do you feel unsure about how to find out more about such a specific topic your preceptor asked you about? Not to mention having to rifle through many resources and figure out whether or not they’re trustworthy?

These are things that I struggled with until I came across a tool mentioned by a physician on an Instagram reel: OpenEvidence, which was launched from the Mayo Clinic Platform Accelerate program.

Think ChatGPT, but for scientific research.

It not only gives you answers to clinical questions, but it lists the resources it used along with links to that article. Note: you still have to discern how much weight you want to give an article, but it gives you a good start.

It is free for medical students and has been absolutely helpful to me in clinical settings. Below are ways that I’ve used it and how to get an account.

How I’ve used OpenEvidence

To look up the procedures we were doing that week

I was able to read up on topics like post-op complications, how to treat them, and good/bad candidates for the procedure.

Examples of queries I wrote:
- - What are indications for surgical aortic valve replacement vs. transcatheter aortic valve replacements?
  - What are common post op lab orders s/p a coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)?
  - Management of stable uncomplicated aortic aneurysms in an older population
To gain more understanding of topics I’d come across during the day

I then would mention my findings to my attending and lead into a question about what they think/prefer to do in their practice.

Examples of queries I wrote:
- - Guidelines and evidence of using Plavix s/p CABG
  - Different risk factor assessments used for postpartum hemorrhage
  - Cardiac memory s/p surgical valve replacement in females over 55
To review topics of potential research interest

You can get the most recent evidence, data, and research. Use the information to form clinical questions.

Examples of queries I wrote:

Current treatment options of congenital surfactant deficiencies

Guidelines for post-partum hemorrhage assessments and standardization

Case reports on brucellosis in the Pacific Northwest

Make an account

Go to https://www.openevidence.com/.
In the upper right-hand corner, click the orange Sign Up button.
Continue by typing in your email address or with your choice of account.
Complete the registration form:
- Name
- Occupation (Medical Student)
- Verify your student status:
  - Medical School: Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
  - Graduation year and month
  - Provide proof of medical student status. Examples:
    - Picture of an ID badge with name and medical student status
    - Transcript with course load and school year