**********************

All of the URLs (website addresses) referred to in this talk are found in this handout, together with many URLs not referred to in the talk.

These addresses were current as of 990314.

Please email suggestions and corrections to Kevin C. Smith MD ksmithderm@aol.com

Sections of the Handout (in alphabetic order), with active links you can visit:

"Alternative Medicine" critiques
Derm and General Medical Websites
Image Search Engines
Journals
Mailing Lists
Non-Medical
Patient Information Websites
Search Engines
Search Tips
Shopping
Support Groups

Several hundred years ago, when the small amount of available information was mostly kept in libraries, it could be said that:

The amount of information and the variety of services available on the Internet are growing more rapidly than any person can keep track of. There is no way you can know it all, or know where to find it. But you CAN learn how to find what you want, when you want it.

In the age of the Internet, it is said that:

The most valuable lesson I am trying to impart today is: Use the "HELP" screens at the search engine, Medline and shopping websites. These "HELP" systems are generally very clear, well organized, illustrated, and constantly updated to reflect the current feature set of the search engine.

A moment or two spent refreshing your memory about how to use a search engine will be well rewarded, and will help you maintain your ability to: "Find what you want, when you want it."

No single search engine indexes the entire Internet, or indexes material in the same way, so it is sometimes useful to use several different search engines if you are trying to do a comprehensive search.

There are 3 major types of Internet search engines:
1. Comprehensive indexes of the Internet, like Alta Vista and HotBot
2. Meta search engines, which search several of the comprehensive sites simultaneously, for example Dogpile and MetaCrawler. These generally return a smaller number of results, and give you much less control over the search strategy.
3. Popularity engines, which attempt to rank search results on the basis of their popularity with previous searches or on the basis of the popularity of their WebPages as measured by links to other WebPages. Examples of popularity engines include Google and Direct Hit.


The following are some interesting and useful places for dermatologists to visit on the Internet. Note that the web addresses (URLs) listed here sometimes change, so if you get:
"Error message 404 - address not found" search for the new address (for example on Altavista at http://altavista.digital.com).

Search Engines: Return to top of document
Alta Vista Search Engine – a very comprehensive, full featured index of the Internet.
http://www.altavista.com

Deja News – search Usenet and newsgroups (e.g. like RxDerm-L)
http://www.dejanews.com/home_ps.shtml

Direct Hit – ranks results by popularity with other searchers
http://www.directhit.com/

Dogpile – searches multiple search engines
http://www.dogpile.com/

Google – ranks search results by the number and quality of the sites linked to the result pages (this is another form of "popularity search": good material often comes to the top of the search result list using this technique).
http://www.google.com

HotBot – powerful search engine
http://www.hotbot.com/

InfoSeek
http://infoseek.go.com/

KnowX.Com – huge collection of public records on the net: you can run background checks on potential employees, associates and creditors – and THEY CAN RUN CHECKS ON YOU!
http://www.knowx.com/

Mamma – Mother of all search engines – searches multiple search engines
http://www.mamma.com/

Metacrawler
http://www.go2net.com/search.html

Miningcompany.com – the net, indexed by humans
http://www.miningcompany.com/

Northern Light
http://www.northernlight.com/

ProFusion – searches multiple search engines
http://www.profusion.com/

Search-it-all - searches multiple search engines
http://www.search-it-all.com/

Yahoo – index of the Web, largely done by humans
http://www.yahoo.com/

Image Search Engines: Return to top of document
Alta Vista Photo Finder (known to teenage boys as "Alta Vista Porno Finder")
http://image.altavista.com/cgi-bin/avncgi

Arriba Vista Image Search Engine
http://www.arribavista.com

Corbis – image database, owned by Bill Gates
http://www.corbis.com/

Dermatology Online Atlas – a GREAT source of high quality clinical derm images.
http://dermis.net/bilddb/index_e.htm

Image Surfer
http://isurf.interpix.com

Search Tips: Return to top of document
PC Computing Internet Search Secrets
http://www.zdnet.com/zdtv/callforhelp/projects/story/0,3650,2175512,00.html

ZD Net Undocumented Internet Secrets
http://www.zdnet.com/pccomp/features/excl1198/netsecrets/welcome.html

Shopping: Return to top of document
Buy.com – Internet superstore
http://www.buy.com

ComputerShopper.Com – compares multiple vendors, has reviews
http://www.zdnet.com/computershopper/

Cnet Shopper.com – Internet superstore
http://www.shopper.com/

CompareNet – Internet superstore - comparison shop: prices & features
http://www.compare.net/

KillerApp – where the Internet stores come to you (searches for best deal), has reviews
http://www.killerapp.com/

PriceScan.com – searches multiple vendors – has charts plotting the high, low and median prices for thousands of items against time, allowing you to easily factor price trends into you purchasing strategy.
http://www.pricescan.com

PriceWatch.com – searches multiple vendors
http://www.pricewatch.com

Shopping.Com – Internet superstore
http://www.shopping.com

"Alternative Medicine" critiques: Return to top of document
JunkScience.com - Great critique of "alternative medicine"
http://www.junkscience.com

Quackwatch.com – The BEST critique of "alternative medicine", with detailed information on subjects like chelation "therapy"!
Http://www.quackwatch.com

Journals: Return to top of document
American Society of Laser Medicine and Surgery
http://www.aslms.org

Archives of Dermatology
http://www.ama-assn.org/public/journals/derm/

Archives of Internal Medicine
http://www.ama-assn.org/public/journals/inte/intehome.htm

British Medical Journal
http://www.bmj.com/bmj/

Canadian Medical Association and CMA Journal
http://www.cma.ca

Chronicle of Skin & Allergy
http://www.chronicle.org/skin.htm

Dermatology Online Journal – the first purely electronic journal to be included in Index Medicus
http://matrix.ucdavis.edu/DOJdesk/desk.html

JAAD – has a handy feature which displays all the papers published by each author, and also displays citations and abstracts of related papers. http://www1.mosby.com/mosbyscripts/mosby.dll?action=searchDB&searchDBfor=home&id=JD

JAMA Online
http://www.ama-assn.org/sci-pubs/journals/most/recent/issues/jama/toc.htm

Journal of Cutaneous Medicine & Surgery
http://www.derm.ubc.ca/jcms/

Journal of Dermatological Treatment
http://www.uwcm.ac.uk/uwcm/dm/jdt/index.html

Journal of Investigative Dermatology
http://cmu.unige.ch/jid/jid.html

Lancet
http://www.thelancet.com

Nature Medicine
http://medicine.nature.com/

NEJM
http://www.nejm.org/current.htm

Pediatric Dermatology: European Journal
http://www.teseo.it/pd

Pharmaceutical Intelligence
http://www.ims-global.com/

Skin Therapy Letter – by Stuart Maddin of UBC
http://www.derm.ubc.ca/skintherapy

Mailing Lists: Return to top of document
To join dermatology newsgroups and participate in email discussions with dermatologists worldwide send the following messages:

Academic Derm
to: acaderm-l@ucdavis.edu
Subject: subscribe
Body: subscribe your firstname lastname MD (might be a good idea to include your mail address and phone number too)

Derm Journal Club
to: dermijc@aslan.ucdmc.ucdavis.edu
Subject: subscribe
Body: subscribe your firstname lastname MD (might be a good idea to include your mail address and phone number too)

Derm Therapy - the premier mailing list for discussions of therapy: about 800 members
To: rxderm-l@ucdavis.edu
Subject: subscribe
Body: subscribe your firstname lastname MD (might be a good idea to include your mail address and phone number too)

RxDerm-L Forum (an archive of discussions on RxDerm
among dermatologists-VERY GOOD!!), listed by disease or symptom:
http://matrix.ucdavis.edu/rxderm-archives/

Derm Chat (non-medical things of interest to dermatologists)
To: dermchat@ucdavis.edu
Subject: subscribe
Body: subscribe your firstname lastname MD (might be a good idea to include your mail address and phone number too)

SupportGroups: Return to top of document
The complete list of support groups for derm patients is at the AAD website – you will need you CME number to access this part of the website:
http://www.aad.org/Members/mem_frameset.html

Albinism The National Organization for Albinism and Hypopigmentation (NOAH)
http://www.albinism.org

Alopecia Areata -Frequently Asked Questions/& National Foundation link:
http://angelfire.com/wa/Victor2/natl.html

Behcets
http://www.w2.com/behcets.html

Derm Nurses Association
http://dna.inurse.com

Ectodermal Dysplasias
http://www.nfed.org

Epidermolysis Bullosa Registry
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/derm/EB.html

Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association
http://www.debra.org

Gluten-free Website (Dermatitis herpetiformis)
http://www.panix.com/~donwiss/index.shtml

Gluten Intolerance (see also Celiac)
http://www.wwwebguides.com/nutrition/diets/glutenfree/addre.html

Latex Allergy Support Team & Information Coalition
http://www.latexallergyhelp.com

Lupus Foundation of America
http://www.lupus.org/lupus

Pseudoxanthoma Elasticum, PXE International
http://www.pxe.org

Psoriasis Foundation
http://www.psoriasis.org/

Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Association
http://rsds.org/index.html

Rosacea Society (mostly for patients)
http://www.rosacea.org

Scabies and lice: National Pediculosis Association
http://www.headlice.org

Scleroderma Foundation
http://www.scleroderma.org

Sjogren's Syndrome Foundation
http://www.sjogrens.com

Vitiligo Research
http://goofy.ti6.tu-harburg.de:80/vitiligo/

Vitiligo Foundation Inc
http://www.albinism.org
http://www.nvfi.org

Vulvodynia
http://www.med.umich.edu/obgyn/vulva/vulvod.html

Patient Information Websites: Return to top of document
AAD Derm InfoNet Page
http://www.derm-infonet.com/

Achoo Online Healthcare
http://www.achoo.com/

America’s Health Network – resources for patients and families
http://www.ahn.com/

Common Skin Diseases from shingles and warts to Impetigo, nail diseases, & occupational
skin diseases, etc. Singapore National Skin Center:
http://www.nsc.gov.sg/

DermNet - New Zealand Derm - Great Site! Vast collection of patient information handouts.
http://www.dermnet.org.nz/

Galderma site designed for patients to search for dermatologists anywhere in U.S. Also patient support groups:
http://www.galderma.com

Hong Kong Handbook of Dermatology & Venereology (great content)
http://www.hkma.com.hk/std/menuskin.htm

Mayo Clinic Health Oasis for Patients – a top rated patient information site
http://www.mayohealth.org/

Patientwatch.com - where patients can order reports on YOU and your treatments
http://www.sfinando@patientwatch.com - this link has to be used manually - worth visiting!

Derm and General Medical Websites: Return to top of document
American Society for Dermatologic Surgery
http://www.asds-net.org/

Biomednet
http://biomednet.com/hmsbeagle/

Bowman Gray School of Medicine, Winston-Salem
http://isnet.is.wfu.edu/bgsm/dermatology/dermhome.html

Centers for Disease Control
http://www.cdc.gov/

Centerwatch - tracks research protocols
http://www.centerwatch.com

CliniWeb, Dermatology, Oregon Health Sciences University "Browse" (very good)
(those are two zeros after the "8", not the letter "O"):
http://www.ohsu.edu/cliniweb/C17/C17.800.html

Cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies
http://www.proderm.de

Cutaneous Drug Reactions Data Base at Dartmouth
gopher://gopher.dartmouth.edu/1/Research/BioSci/CDRD

Dead Sea Dermatology and Rheumatology Clinic Natural therapy using the ultraviolet light of the sun and the thermal waters of the Dead Sea at the spa and solarium, to treat arthritis, psoriasis, eczema, atopic dermatitis, neurodermatitis, and vitiligo. Medical research reports in six languages: Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish:
http://www.dsmor.co.il

Delasco Online - Dermatologic Lab & Supply Company
http://www.delasco.com/

Dermatology in the Cinema, by Vail Reese, MD:
http://www.skinema.com

Dermatology Lectures with slides & derm courses, Image Atlas, at Erlangen University in Germany (SOME are in German):
http://www.derma.med.uni-erlangen.de/index_e.htm

Derm news in newspapers
http://www.webmedlit.com/topics/DermLit.html

Dermatology Online Atlas at Erlangen, Germany – a goldmine of derm images
http://www.derma.med.uni-erlangen.de/bilddb/index_e.htm

Dermatology Resources including RxDerm Newsgroup Archives
http://matrix.ucdavis.edu/

DermWeb - UBC
http://www.derm.ubc.ca

Doctor’s Guide to the Internet
http://www.docguide.com/

Drug name cross-index list
http://www.rxlist.com

EECDRG: European Environmental and Contact Dermatitis Research Group
http://www.ou.dk/Med/Homepages/eecdrg/egen.htm

Electronic Textbook of Dermatology - the FIRST medical textbook online
http://telemedicine.org/stamford.htm

eMedicine Online Dermatology Textbook
http://www.emedicine.com/derm/index.shtml

Global Dermatology Grand Rounds
Case of the Month & more; submit your diagnosis after viewing the case history and slide(s):
http://telemedicine.org/rdrugge.htm

Guide to Internet Clinical Medicine Resources/Dermatology
http://www.medmatrix.org/Index.asp

Hardin Dermatology Resources
http://www.arcade.uiowa.edu/hardin-www/md-derm.html

Internet Dermatology Society
http://telemedicine.org/stamford.htm

Introduction to Skin Cancer, with links to specific information available around the Net; general-public oriented, but some links of interest to an MD (good UV data for skin-cancer lectures). Topics covered include: basal cell carcinoma, exposure categories, immuno- therapy, melanoma, ozone depletion, skin types, SPF, squamous cell, sunburn, sunscreen, tanning, ultra violet light, UV-forecast, etc.:
http://www.maui.net/~southsky/introto.html

Martindale's Health Science Guide '97 (go to TUTORIALS!)
http://www-sci.lib.uci.edu/HSG/Medical1.html#Derm

Medical Bookstore
http://medbookstore.com

Medical Burnout / Managed Care by Dr. "Ben Dover"
http://home.earthlink.net/~austintxmd

Mednets – Multiple Medical Search Engines
http://www.mednets.com/

Medscape - free Medline (very nice HELP system) & review articles
http://www.mednets.com/

Melanoma Statistics (good for lectures)(Section 16), NCI SEER data:
http://www-seer.ims.nci.nih.gov/Publications/CSR7393/index.html

National Center for Biotechnology Information, including PubMed and Medline
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/

Newest Drugs Approved by FDA
http://www.centerwatch.com/drugs/DRUGLIST.HTM#Section3

Irwin M. Freedberg's NYU Tuesday Rounds
http://www.med.nyu.edu/derm/confnov.htm

PharmInfoNet
http://www.pharminfo.com

RxList - The Internet Drug List
http://www.rxlist.com/

Roswell Park Cancer Institute/Melanoma Studies/Nevoid Basal Cell Carcinoma:
http://rpci.med.buffalo.edu/clinic/stmb/stmb.html

Society of Dermatologic Physician Assistants, Inc., with LINKS to Dermatology-Related Websites, and topics such as: What does a dermatology PA DO?; Education/Training; Where to Advertise for a PA; Salaries/Average Patients Per Day; State Laws Governing PA's through AAPA link; SDPA members' e-mail addresses; SDPA Mission Statement/Officers; Brochure, "Introducing Your New PA to Your Referral Base, Your Community and Patients"; Dermatology Patient Support Groups List, 5 most-asked questions about derm PA's; and more:
http://www.pacifier.com/~jomonroe

Spider Bites--Oregon Health Sciences Univ.
http://www.oda.state.or.us/Plant/Spider.html

Stanford Dept. of Dermatology/Blistering Disease Clinic
http://www.stanford.edu/dept/derm/blister.html

University of British Columbia Dermatology Home Page with interesting links
http://www.derm.ubc.ca

Ultraviolet light indicator sites:
a. U.S. EPA Stratospheric Ozone Home Page
http://www.epa.gov/docs/ozone/index.html

b. National Association of Physicians for the Environment
http://www.napenet.org/

c. Skin Cancer Web Site
http://www.maui.net/~southsky/introto.html

d. USA TODAY Web Site - Weather
http://www.usatoday.com/weather/wfront.htm

e. Electronic Textbook of Dermatology, Chapter on Carcinogenesis:
http://telemedicine.org/stamford.htm

Women's Dermatologic Society
http://telemedicine.org/WDS/homepage.htm

Wound Care
http://www.plasticsurgery.org/profinfo/wc/wc.htm

YALE University: Derm cases and diagnoses
http://info.med.yale.edu/dermatology

YALE Internet Style Manual for authors
http://www.unimelb.edu.au/public/www-style-manual/StyleManual_Top.HTML

Non-Medical: Return to top of document
Streaming Audio (Net based radio stations: hundreds of channels of music & talk)
- Broadcast.com http://www.broadcast.com – also has audio books
- ImagineRadio http://www.imagineradio.com/
- NetRadio http://www.netradio.com/
- RealGuide - listing of Streaming Audio and Video sources http://realguide.real.com/
- SonicNet http://www.sonicnet.com/
- Spinner.com http://www.spinner.com (my favorite)
- TuneMail http://www.tunemail.com/

WebFlyer monitors airline Internet sales: These deals are updated on Wednesdays at 3 p.m. MST
http://www.webflyer.com/@deal/@deal.htm

35 mm PowerPoint slides for $2 each – you can send the files by email
http://www.einsteingraphics.com/

Please email suggestions and corrections to Kevin C. Smith MDvideo/ptarmigan3.rm
ksmithderm@aol.com

PDC