Use of the Internet and information technology for surgeons and surgical research

The recent, and extensive, expansion in the use of computers and the Internet offers great potential for benefit in surgical research and, increasingly, surgical practice. However, in addition to the usefulness of information technology, much time can be spent achieving little and the potential missed because of the complexity and excess of information available. In this article, we examine some useful areas relevant to surgeons and surgical research, such as Internet service provision and E-mail, databases, medical Websites, and potential future directions.