Students evaluate MEDFILE, a preprinted medical literature filing system.

Medical professionals are highly dependent on personal libraries and reprint files as their sources for current information. A large population of practising doctors have poorly organized medical literature data bases in their professional environment. To expedite the development of a personal library data base by medical students, we created MEDFILE, a preprinted, cross-indexed file folder system for organizing the medical literature. This paper reports the results of two surveys performed in connection with the distribution of the MEDFILE system. One hundred per cent of the students who used MEDFILE found the system to be beneficial. Ninety-seven per cent felt their ability to find their personal literature improved by using MEDFILE, and 65% felt MEDFILE improved their clinical preparation. Of all surveyed recipients of the system, 96.8% felt MEDFILE would be useful in their future studies.