PubMed is a huge database that includes the entire Medline database. Medline is available through PubMed and through other companies. At MCPHS, we access Medline through PubMed and through Ovid. The content is the same, but you will notice some differences.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) creates both Medline and PubMed. PubMed is the NLM's own interface for Medline (and other content).
Ovid licenses Medline (and other content) from the NLM.
Freely available
Requires a subscription
Includes records as soon as the NLM creates them.
Has a slight delay. Ovid must wait for the NLM to send the records.
PubMed is complex. You can search it in many different ways, from many different search boxes.
Ovid has fewer search boxes. It is simpler to use.
PubMed attempts to save you time.
When you search for MeSH terms:
When you type a word or phrase directly into the regular search box, PubMed will attempt to find the most closely matching MeSH term. It will also search for different combinations of your words as keywords.
Once you apply a limit or filter, PubMed will automatically apply it to all your later searches until you clear the filters or lose your search history.
Ovid forces you to think through your search strategy carefully.
When you search for MeSH terms:
When you type a word or phrase directly into the regular search box, Ovid will either attempt to suggest MeSH terms OR will give you the option to search for that word or phrase as a keyword exactly as you wrote it.
Ovid only applies limits / filters to specific searches. New searches you run will not be limited / filtered.
PubMed displays only a few limits / filters by default. If you want to use any limit/filter that is not automatically displayed, you must click to select different types of categories, click to select which options in those categories you want to see, and then actually select the ones you want to apply to your search.
Ovid displays a handful of common limits / filters right away. To use those common filters, select the one(s) you want and click "Search." If you want to use anything else, you must click on "Additional Limits," select the one(s) you want to apply, and click "Limit A Search."
You can use NOT. (We do not recommend using NOT for most searches; there are better ways to narrow your results.)
Proximity searching. In PubMed, you can search for words near each other in the Title, Abstract, or Title / Abstract field. This type of search is not available for other fields. You can type "term1 term2" [field:~#] to find articles where term1 and term2 appear in the field you chose with up to # words in between. For example, "physician assistant" [ti:~0] will find articles with the exact phrase "physician assistant" or the exact phrase "assistant physician" in the title. Or, "heavy lifting" [tiab: ~2] will find "heavy lifting," "lifting heavy," "lifting something heavy," "heavy object lifting," "lifting of the heavy," and "heavy hearts need lifting." It will search for those words in the title and / or abstract fields.
Adjacency searching. In Ovid, you can type term1ADJ# term2 to find articles where term1 appears up to # words before or after term2. (Deselect "map term to subject heading" to use this feature.) For example, "prescription Adj2 plan" will find articles with "prescription plan," "plan prescription," and "prescription drug plan."
PubMed will remember the most recent 100 lines in your search history for up to 8 hours of inactivity. If you use the same browser on the same computer and do not clear your browser's history/cookies/cache or clear your PubMed search history, your search will still be there.
Ovid has no known limit to the number of searches in your search history.
Our version of Ovid times out after 20 minutes of inactivity. You will need to log back in to continue searching and you will need to restart your search.
PubMed requires internet access or cell phone data. It automatically adjusts to fit your screen size.
Ovid also requires internet access or cell phone data. It also automatically adjusts to fit your screen size.