Systematic Reviews

Due to the number of requests and Systematic Review in process, Library faculty cannot partner on any new Systematic Review projects as the expert searcher. Consults are still available.

The Harrell Health Sciences Library: Research & Learning Commons offers a fee-based systematic review service (a model for cost recovery) to Faculty, Residents, Fellows and Staff at the Penn State College of Medicine and Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center. Our process follows the Institute of Medicine's recommended standards for performing systematic reviews and the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. Statistical resources to analyze and pool data must be available.

Medical students can request to do a systematic review for their MSR project.  This is a great opportunity for them to work on an interprofessional collaborative research project.  The student will work closely with the faculty advisor, librarian and a statistician (meta-analysis), and or project designer.

Librarians can provide departmental talks, customized instruction and classes on systematic reviews. 

Free consultation includes:

  • Overview of the process
  • Advice on search questions formulation
  • Guidance with systematic review steps
  • Advise on databases/sources selection for specific topics
  • Instruction in database platforms available
  • Training in use of bibliographic citation software (e.g. EndNote, RefWorks), to manage citations and share results
  • How to obtain full-text of published papers (It is the team’s responsibility to obtain full-text of any published papers that will be reviewed.)

*A consultation does not guarantee immediate service assistance.

Fill out the form to submit a Systematic Review request.