A computerized approach to discipline-specific bibliographies in the allied health sciences

The traditional subject headings in Index Medicus and other standard indexes have frequently proved too broad for researchers in the allied health sciences. Therefore, the Physician Assistant Program at the University of Florida has developed a computerized bibliography program designed to expedite research by using a selected list of keywords as subject headings and subheadings tailored to the interests and concerns of the physician assistant profession. Each subject heading and subheading is translated into a numerical coding system that permits efficient data entry and rapid identification of items in the professional literature as well as reducing the incidence of operator error in data entry. The program can be used for review of the literature, curriculum design, identification of supplementary reading material for education courses, and identification of appropriate resources to enhance the study of the physician assistant profession. Through the development of discipline-specific keywords, the program can be tailored to the educational and research interests of any discipline in the allied health sciences or other educational fields.