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UT HSC Link

What is UT HSC Link for?

Links to individual journal articles tend to be very long, very ugly, and frequently don't work from a different computer or at a different time. UT HSC Link is a way to create shorter, more readable links that can be e-mailed, bookmarked, or included in a Blackboard course page, website, or printed syllabus.

Clicking on a UT HSC Link takes the user directly to the article. Anyone off campus will be prompted to sign in to the Libraries' proxy server first. In some cases, the UT HSC Link can't take them directly to the article, but it will take them as close as it can. If we simply do not have electronic access to the article, the link will take them to a page where they can order the article through our ILLiad system.

How do I create a UT HSC Link?

To create a UT HSC Link, you need to know the DOI, PMID, PMCID, or CINAHL Accession Number of the article. These identifiers can be found in MEDLINE, CINAHL, or PubMed Central search results, on journal article websites, or in printed journals.

Once you know the DOI, PMID, PMCID, or CINAHL Accession Number, you just need to add http://link.uthscsa.edu/ on to the beginning, and you've got your link. So, for example:

You can also go to http://link.uthscsa.edu and use the form there to generate the link. If the article is available in MEDLINE, the form will also display a formatted citation along with the generated link. This is a quick way to verify that you've got the right identifier.

What is a DOI (Digital Object Identifier)?

A Digital Object Identifier, is a unique string of numbers, letters, and punctuation assigned to journal articles (and some other types of material) that are available in an electronic format. Unlike a URL or web address, the DOI stays with the article when it is moved from one website to another.

Every publisher does things a little differently, but the DOI can usually be found at the top or bottom of the first page of an article (either in print or online), and is usually identified as a DOI. These examples show what a DOI looks like and where it might be found:
Example of a DOI found in a print publication, near the copyright statement at the top of the first page of the article. Example of a DOI found on a website. In this case, it's near the top of the page close to the PDF link.

To use a DOI with the UT HSC Link tool, simply copy and paste the entire DOI (including all punctuation) into the generator at http://link.uthscsa.edu. You can also generate your own link by adding the DOI on to the end of http://link.uthscsa.edu/ -- for example: http://link.uthscsa.edu/10.1080/02763860802616110

What is a PMID?

A PubMed Identifier (PMID) is a number assigned to every article added to the MEDLINE database. It is also sometimes known as the Unique Identifier (UI, UID, or MEDLINE UI). (Note, CINAHL records have a field called MEDLINE Info, which lists a "NLM UID" -- unfortunately, this is not the same as a PMID.)

PubMed and OvidSP both list the PMID at the end of each citation in the search results list:
Example of a PMID found in PubMed search results. Example of a UI found in OvidSP search results.

To use a PMID with the UT HSC Link tool, simply copy and paste it into the generator at http://link.uthscsa.edu. You can also generate your own link by adding the PMID on to the end of http://link.uthscsa.edu/ -- for example: http://link.uthscsa.edu/19197747

What is a CINAHL Accession Number?

An Accession Number is a 10-digit number assigned to every article added to the CINAL database.

The Accession Number is listed in the CINAHL search results. Many articles in CINAHL will also show a PMID. If available, we recommend you use the PMID instead of the CINAHL accession number.

Example of a CINAHL Accession Number found in a search results listing. Example of a PMID found in CINAHL search results.

To use a CINAHL Accession Number with the UT HSC Link tool, simply copy and paste it into the generator at http://link.uthscsa.edu. You can also generate your own link by adding the Accession Number on to the end of http://link.uthscsa.edu/ -- for example: http://link.uthscsa.edu/19197747

What is a PMCID?

A PubMed Central ID is a unique number assigned to journal articles in PubMed Central. The NIH Open Access Policy requires NIH-funded researchers to include the PMCID in citations for deposited articles when referencing them in NIH applications, proposals, and progress reports.

The PMCID can be found in PubMed Central in the search result list, and in PubMed in the AbstractPlus view:
Example of a PMCID appearing in PubMed Central search results. Example of a PMCID appearing in PubMed's AbstractPlus view.
Notice that the PMCID starts with the letters "PMC", and is not the same number as the PMID.

To use a PMCID with the UT HSC Link tool, simply copy and paste the PMCID (including the letters PMC) into the generator at http://link.uthscsa.edu. You can also generate your own link by adding the PMCID on to the end of http://link.uthscsa.edu/ -- for example: http://link.uthscsa.edu/PMC225897