Eahil Dublin 2009 Workshop

Learning and Literacy Parallel Paper Session (Thursday 4 June 2009 11.00-12.30)

Undergraduate Medical Education – Redefining the Role of the Librarian

Presenter: Trina Fyfe
Author(s): Trina Fyfe, Geoffrey W. Payne, Northern Medical Program, University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, British Columbia, Canada

Objectives: The primary objective is to redefine the role of the health sciences librarian within the unique context of the Northern Medical Program (NMP) by exploring new opportunities to develop librarian and student relationships, support learning and continue to develop the fundamental informatics curriculum to determine if these new roles enriched the learning environment of medical students. Methods: The librarian within the NMP was exposed to problem based learning (PBL) tutoring during the first and second year basic science components of the undergraduate medical curriculum. The librarian received tutor training prior to beginning these 5 week blocks. Student rankings and comments were recorded and compared to other traditional PBL tutors.

Results: The impact of the librarian as a PBL tutor has been an increased awareness amongst the students of library services and resources, and in the use of the librarian and library assistant. The tutor evaluations showed that the librarian had a direct impact on the students’ knowledge and understanding of evidence based medicine, and received rankings that were comparable to other traditional PBL tutors.

Conclusions: Based on the feedback from students, the increase awareness and relationship building, the librarian will continue to be a PBL tutor throughout the first and second year of the undergraduate curriculum. The experience and learning opportunity for the librarian has not only developed student relationships but has aided in the development of the informatics theme within the curriculum. The librarian continues to develop faculty relationships and explore new roles for the librarian within the curriculum.

Developing an embedded Information Literacy Programme in a new medical school and an established Health Science department curriculum: two case studies.

Presenter: Karen Smith
Author(s): Karen Smith, Catriona Kemp, Department of Health Sciences, University of York, United Kingdom

Summary: This paper will report on two cases of embedding Information Literacy within a nursing and medical curriculum. The cases will include curriculum design and assessment; including live literature searching exams (OSCPEs), and Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) involvement. The report will also describe the challenges for the two Academic Liaison Librarians whose unique roles require them to be based in their respective departments rather than the Library. To integrate successfully they take every opportunity to become fully involved with departmental culture, with the outcome of facilitating successful communication and teaching. How this is achieved and plans for future developments are discussed The Hull York Medical School (HYMS) is one of the UK’s new joint medical schools with its first undergraduate cohort completing in 2008. The school runs a Problem Based Learning (PBL) programme with students based primarily in H.E in their first two years of study and then in rotating NHS placements from year three. Embedding Information Literacy within the Evidence Based Decision Making (EBDM) theme running through the five year curriculum is an ongoing project.

This paper will report on progress to date and future plans. Health Science’s at the University of York, is a large multidisciplinary department, offering a broad range of taught and research programmes in the health and social care field. The department works closely with colleagues within the the NHS regional area to ensure that nursing, midwifery and inter-professional education meets the strategic needs of developing services. Many students are health and social care professionals and managers studying part-time on continuing development programmes, funded under contracts with the NHS or independent care sector. Information Literacy is fully embedded across the three years of the undergraduate programme, all postgraduate modules and distance learning courses. The teaching is underpinned by a range of assessment tools utilising the VLE and more traditional methods.

This paper will demonstrate how the roles of two Librarians have adapted to address various key issues including geography, cross-institutional provision, distance learning, student numbers and assessment issues. The aim of this paper is to share our experience, stimulate discussion and motivate librarians to step outside the library and take an outreach approach to the development of services.

Assessing medical students´ information literacy skills in a problem-based setting: experiences from a joint effort between librarians and professors/senior lecturers.

Presenter: Eva Svensson
Author(s): Eva Sofia Svensson, Head of the Health Sciences Library Linköping University Library, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden.

This presentation will discuss how a collaboration between librarians and faculty assess medical students’ information literacy skills. Both the library premises and the professional roles of the librarians at the Health Sciences Library at Linköping University are designed to meet the objectives of problem-based learning which was implemented at the faculty of Health Sciences in 1986. For years the library has been working successfully together with professors/senior lecturers, as well as with the student union (Consensus) of the faculty of Health Sciences. Our mutual goal is to promote information literacy skills in order to obtain optimal learning outcomes ensuring that the students are information literate for the future. Examinations of the medical students’ ability to solve various information problems have taken place for several years. Although the examination procedures have changed over time, the collaboration with and the role of the library in this process has never been questioned.

Today the examination takes place during the students’ second semester. Each student has to present how he/she managed to solve an information seeking problem, for example “why does women get brittle bones more easily than men?” In order to pass the student has to prove their capability to make a sound search strategy, choosing relevant sources and last but not least show a reflective and critical attitude towards the search process itself and to the information found. The examination sessions last approximately 30 minutes and the student has to explain his/her search results and also to answer questions from the librarian and the professor/senior lecturer.

Collaboration between librarians and teachers: a challenge for medical education in the information society era

Presenter: J Potomkova (CZ)

Author(s): Jarmila Potomkova, Vladimir Mihal, Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic

Introduction: By working together, medical teachers and librarians can provide better educational environment for their students, offer multiple learning styles, integrate conventional teaching with web-based learning, and implement principles of evidence-based practice. Objectives: The aim of the paper is to describe 3-year-collaboration between clinician teachers and librarians in re-designing a pediatric curriculum through introduction of case-based learning and searching for evidence.

Design, Setting, Participants: Palacky University Paediatric Department (Olomouc, Czech R.); 4-week teaching blocks for 5th-year medical students (groups of 25); faculty included 8 clinician-teachers and 2 medical librarians.

Results: The new pediatric curriculum has 3 segments: (1) Introductory lecture on EBM basics and information retrieval, followed by elective hands-on classes and/or one-on-one training in search skills. Web tutorials are available for self-directed learning. (2) "Live" clinical scenarios supplemented with a review of current literature to improve bedside teaching & learning. (3) Clinical case presentations, discussion and evaluation. In September 2008, a survey was launched to find out students´ attitudes towards the modified paediatric curriculum. Preliminary results have shown a high percentage of students (77%) fully satisfied with quality of introductory lecture and web tutorials, but nearly 60% would appreciate follow-up training in search skills.

Conclusions: In our paediatric curriculum, web-based learning has been integrated with traditional face-to-face and bedside teaching since 2006. Librarians serve as facilitators of information retrieval, critical appraisal, and presentation skills. Web tutorials represent an effective educational tool supporting self-directed learning.