Step by Step Rapid Simple Syndication (RSS) for Pediatricians

RSS (which stands for Rapid Simple Syndication) is an easy way to receive automatic updates from your chosen websites. Syndication means you don't have to visit each site individually to see what's new - you simply scan headlines or brief article summaries and click to read the full text. RSS can save you time you never had, by bringing to your desktop lists of new headlines from your favorite medical resources, with abstracts and links to the full articles you require.

Step 1- For the beginners

My Yahoo! now supports the RSS format. You don’t actually "use" RSS to benefit from it. My Yahoo! uses RSS to pull headlines and summaries from your favorite websites and blogs. All you have to do is specify which sites or specialty journal you would like to see added to your personal My Yahoo! Page.

Step 2- Getting an RSS reader

You will need to get yourself a programme called an RSS reader, otherwise known as an RSS aggregator. Many RSS readers are available free on the web e.g., Feed Reader. An RSS reader is a bit like a web browser, but instead of viewing webpages you view headlines with short summaries, with links to the actual pages should you decide to read more.

Step 3- Selecting RSS feeds for the reader

You will need to tell the RSS reader which sites you want updates from. You do this by typing in the RSS links, given by the websites to which you want to subscribe. These links are known as RSS feeds-not all sites have them yet, but they will soon come as standard with important sites. Currently, all popular journals like Pediatrics, NEJM and Lancet use RSS feeds for its readers.

Medworm– http://www.medworm.com/rss/Pediatrics-33.php

Medical Feeds– http://www.medicalfeeds.com/sho-wrss.php?category=Pediatric%20RSS%20Feeds

Step 4 - Using the RSS reader

Your RSS reader is then ready to use. Simply open it each day and look for anything that catches your eye. From now on, you won’t have to waste time wading through the articles to get what you actually want!