ClinicalKey: FAQs

A ClinicalKey account is required to access book PDFs, Presentation Maker, other personalized features, and use the ClinicalKey App. See the ClinicalKey Book PDF Policy for important downloading restrictions.

1) Login: If you already registered for an account on one of the Library’s other Elsevier subscriptions such as ScienceDirect or Scopus use those login credentials (username and password) for signing into ClinicalKey.
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2) Register: You must create your personal account on a computer connected to the MCW network either on campus or off campus while logged into the proxy server. Please use your affiliated institutional email address (MCW, Froedtert, or CHW). Go to ClinicalKey and click on the Register link on the upper right side of the page.

If you have registered using your institutional email address and would like to access ClinicalKey outside the MCW network using Self-Managed Remote Access, please complete the following steps.

Self-Managed Remote Access is not compatible with a Yahoo, Gmail, or other personal email account. Change your email address to your institutional email address under Settings in your ClinicalKey account profile.

Before you start the activation process below, make sure you are completely logged out of ClinicalKey. Go to ClinicalKey, and check whether your name appears in the upper-right corner. If it does, click the "Logout" button.

1. Go to ClinicalKey and click the "Log In" link.

2. On the Log In page, go to the Remote Access section at the bottom of the right column. Click "Apply Now."

3. ClinicalKey will display the Apply for Remote Access screen.

4. Enter your institutional email address (MCW, Froedtert or CHW) and click "Continue."

5. ClinicalKey will display a confirmation screen and will send an email to your institutional email address.

6. Open the "ClinicalKey - Remote access request confirmation" email within 1 hour of receipt.

7. Click on the "Activate Your Remote Access" link within the confirmation email to activate remote access. Please Note: This activation link expires 1 hour after you receive it.

8. ClinicalKey will display a confirmation that remote access is complete and will prompt you to log in.

9. Complete your login process. Remote access is now enabled.

10. You will be granted 180 days of remote access. Prior to the end of the 180 days, log into your ClinicalKey account while on the MCW network. This will extend your access another 180 days. Should your remote access expire, follow the above steps to re-activate your access.

Registration is required for you to use ClinicalKey outside the MCW network via Self-Managed Remote Access. Please follow the steps below to register and activate your remote access.

1. Go to ClinicalKey. In the upper-right corner of any page, click "Register" to create a User Profile/Personal Account using your institutional email address. Please Note: Self-Managed Remote Access will not work with a Yahoo, Gmail, or other personal account.

2. Complete the form, and click "Register."

3. A "Registration Successful" message will appear, and an email will be sent to the institutional email address entered in the Registration form.

4. Open the Registration email within 72 hours of receipt.

5. Click the link provided in the Registration Confirmation email to activate remote access. Please Note: The activation link expires 72 hours after you receive it.

6. A confirmation message will appear to indicate activation is complete and will prompt you to log in.

7. Complete your login process. Remote access is now enabled.

8. You will be granted 180 days of remote access. Prior to the end of the 180 days, log into your ClinicalKey account while on the MCW network. This will extend your access another 180 days.

You will have remote access for 180 days after you successfully log in after activation.

To extend access for another 180 days, log into your ClinicalKey account via the MCW network. Access privileges are automatically extended each time you log in from your institution.

If you do not log in via the MCW network within 180 days, remote access will be revoked. Follow the Self-Managed Remote Access activation steps again to regain remote access.