Health Sciences: Getting Started

Get Started with Topic Overview Resources, such as PubMed Health (clinical effectiveness), MedlinePlus, and more.

VT Libraries has many guides related to Health Sciences. Search all Subject Guides, or try out one of these:

Biochemistry

Consumer Health

Genetics, bioinformatics, and computational biology

Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise

Medicine

Population Health Sciences

Psychology

Make the most of library resources & services for your research!

Don't be afraid to ask for help. Simply contact your librarian directly! See health liaison librarian information on this guide, or use the email, chat, or in-person reference desk hours for our Ask a Librarian service!

Use Discovery Search to conduct a Google-like search of most of our library resources.  While it's not a disciplinary database, like the ones that I recommend to you on this guide, it can help you gain a broad overview of a particular research topic or question.  

When trying to access articles and other resources, look for the Get VText box:

Can't find full text or a print copy? Use the VT Interlibrary Loan (ILLiad) Service - for journal articles, book chapters (even if we own a copy), books, and more that VT does not own or subscribe to, don't pay to access research sources you need - use Illiad to request materials for free.

Discovery Search includes records for most of the library’s resources: our physical collections, our journal and ebook subscriptions, streaming videos, reports, government publications, and much more. You can use limiters to narrow your search results by the format, date of publication, peer-reviewed, and availability online. 

Erin M. Smith, Health Sciences Research Librarian -- specializing in human health, population health sciences, psychology, and public health.

Kiri DeBose, Head, Veterinary Medicine Library & Liaison to Animal Sciences -- specializing in veterinary medicine, and animal sciences. 

Inga Haugen, Agriculture, Life Sciences, and Scholarly Communication Librarian -- specializing in plants, soils, Extension, ag econ, ag tech, entomology, food science, and biological systems engineering.

Ginny Pannabecker, Associate Director of Research, Collaboration and Engagement --specializing in biological sciences, biochemistry, biochemistry, biomedical engineering, neuroscience, and systems biology.​

Contact additional VT Librarians who specialize in areas such as politics and policy, human development, and more.

All current Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff, regardless of your location, may request through ILLiad for materials:

• not owned by Virginia Tech (books, articles from journals and conference proceedings, book chapters, standards, and technical papers)
• owned by Virginia Tech but are unavailable for use (print books)
• owned by Virginia Tech and available in print (scans of articles from journals and conference proceedings, book chapters, standards, and technical papers)

We ship requests via UPS to users outside the immediate Blacksburg area (Montgomery, Giles and Pulaski counties).

Articles, book chapters, and many technical papers are delivered in PDF format to your ILLiad account.  Occasionally, due to copyright restrictions, a paper copy of an article or standard are sent to the mailing address listed on your account.