A step-by-step primer for using the internet for medical education

This article intends to handhold individuals in exploring the Web judiciously, for educational and / or research purposes, by following some simple steps.

There are certain ways to tackle the “information explosion” in the cyberspace. There are lots of excellent tutorials available on the Internet and just by going to Google, adding “tutorial” at the end of the query phrase retrieves very useful resources.

A simple way of finding any definition (on any subject) is to use the word “define:” before the term in question, e.g., “define: Internet” in the Google search bar. This will retrieve all the definitions of “Internet” available on the World Wide Web.

Another quick start is to go to Wikipedia and in the page on the queried topic; all the relevant terms are hyperlinked. Also, there is a Section of “References” towards the end, and also a host of useful “External links” is listed at the end.

Next is to retrieve useful resources from “Open Access” journals and repositories.

Finally, confident users can become experts in interacting actively through Wikis and Blogs.

However, there are certain areas of concern in uploading materials in the wikis and blogs – that is the Copyright of the material. A cultural change in the mindset is required to adopt the new technologies usefully in our setup. Training and awareness in “Netiquette” is of utmost necessity to have fruitful social interactions and useful learning. Access, training (raising awareness) and support to appropriate information and communication technology (ICT) are essential.