Call for entries

The Medpedia Project wants to become the Wikipedia of medicine, without being quite so wiki.

The collaborative online encyclopedia will rely on contributions from experts, but not just any experts, unlike the free-form Wikipedia. Qualified volunteers -- MDs, biomedical research PhDs, and clinicians -- must apply to become editors of content.

"Only licensed medical professionals and organizations in good standing who are screened through a rigorous internal review process will be approved to provide and edit information," the test site says.

The free site, which will officially launch by the end of the year, already boasts a distinguished pedigree, having laid a foundation from information supplied by Harvard, Stanford, the University of California, and the University of Michigan. Dr. Joseph Martin, former dean of Harvard Medical School, is the first name listed on the venture's board of advisers.

"I believe it will facilitate transfer of medical knowledge in ways not currently available,” Martin said in a statement about the project. “Becoming an editor-contributor to Medpedia will provide tens of thousands of medical professionals around the world the opportunity to make a difference in improving the health of our patients.”