AI is everywhere now. Students use it. Faculty use it. Researchers use it. In othe words – AI in literature searching for health research is here to stay
Increasingly, we hear something like: “I asked AI to find articles for my topic — it gave me everything I need.”
That’s the moment when Team QMed quietly raises its eyebrows.
You say, “But AI gave me a list of references!”
Our eyebrows stay raised.
You continue, “It even summarized them! This saved so much time.”
Our eyebrows go a little higher.
We say:
Think again — could something have gone wrong in this process?
Did you check if those citations actually exist?
Some AI tools generate references that look perfect — authors, journal names, volume, issue — yet the papers do not exist.
(Yes, that happens.)
Oh… you didn’t check that?
Did you check whether the search was exhaustive?
For clinical questions, reviews, theses or guidelines, you need high recall — meaning you should find all relevant studies, not just a handful that look convincing.
AI won’t guarantee that.
You didn’t think of that either?
Did AI tell you which databases it searched?
PubMed? Embase? Scopus? Cochrane? CINAHL? PsycINFO?
Or did it simply give you answers without telling you where they came from?
No transparency?
Hmm.
Did AI share the search strategy it used?
Did it show:
- controlled vocabulary terms (like MeSH / Emtree)?
- synonyms and variations?
- filters used?
- the logic behind combining concepts?
No strategy?
Just output?
Did you check for updates?
A proper search allows reruns and updates.
AI responses change — sometimes dramatically — without telling you what changed.
AI is powerful — but it is not a literature search tool.
Just as doctors worry about patients relying on “Dr. Google”,
we worry when health professionals rely solely on AI for literature searching.
AI for literature searching.
AI can help — beautifully — after the right literature is found.
But to get that literature, you still need sound search skills.
And… our health sciences curriculum still does not teach these.
For AI and literature searching in health research – knowledge of sound search skills is not
That’s where QMed steps in.
We teach you about different categories of information resources. About the techniques of searching. In depth when it comes to doing a search strategy for a systematic review. And more… at www.qmedcourses.in
A Final Thought. A Powerful One
Even though AI is really amazing, Patients still need doctors
And Researchers still need search skills
AI supports healthcare & research, it doesn’t replace professional judgement.
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