Guides: Free Health Resources: Journals

Finding Journals vs. Finding Articles

People are often confused about the difference between finding a medical journal vs. finding a specific article.

If you want to find a specific journal not listed here, please browse the free sources listed either below to on specific specialty pages

If you're trying to research a topic, not limited to one journal, try one of our databases, such as PubMed MEDLINE.

Click to learn more information about Finding Full Text.

BioMed Central This link opens in a new window
Peer-reviewed open access Biomedical journals.
Medium collection.
1999-present.
As needed.

Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)
DOAJ is a gateway to free-access journals in all disciplines. It provides annotated lists of about 6300 free-access journals, complete with links. Most journals in health and medicine that are listed at DOAJ are also indexed in Medline/PubMed, so don’t look for them here. However, DOAJ is a very good place to look for free journals in other fields such as economics, sociology, psychology, and management.

Free Medical Journals This link opens in a new window
Directory of open access journals.
Large Collection.
1997-Present.
Updated frequently.

Geneva Foundation for Medical Education and Research (GFMER)
GFMER provides yet another list of free journals in medicine and related topics.
HighWire Press
Highwire Press provides a useful list of hundreds of medical journals that provide free articles. Links and information about embargo period are provided for each journal, but they are only listed alphabetically, not by subject.
Research 4 Life
HINARI is a journal access programme based at WHO through which health professionals in many lower-income countries can gain access to the full text of many thousands of journals.

In addition, all health professionals in Asia—even if they are outside the HINARI system—can take advantage of the free-access journal lists at the HINARI site. This link takes you to the subject list - just pick one and look for the green tagged resources!