[Information retrieval and reading routines of young doctors]

We performed a survey on information management and reading routines in a random sample of Finnish doctors graduated during the last 2-10 years. The mean time spent on reading medical data sources and literature was three hours per week. The most appreciated sources of information were Current Care and other guidelines written in Finnish, especially among female doctors. The most important problem the doctors encountered was lack of time. Even though a physician who works as an expert needs continuous following of scientific literature the present medical education does not give sufficient expertise to use electronic data sources and international medical literature to solve problems faced with the patients.