An Assessment of Electronic Information Searching Trend of Medical Postgraduate Trainees at Postgraduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo

Abstract

The present electronic era is significant for all types of libraries with regard to their electronic information services. The Library of Postgraduate Institute of Medicine (PGIM), University of Colombo provides enormous services to the medical professionals in Sri Lanka. Annually a considerable amount of money is allocated to PGIM to purchase electronic health information resources. Anyhow it was observed that most often many postgraduate medical trainees who are engaged in medical postgraduate training have expressed their dissatisfaction over the inaccessibility of electronic information resources of the library of PGIM, University of Colombo. Therefore, this study assesses the information searching trend of medical postgraduate trainees in an electronic environment. Total number of 815 medical postgraduate trainees, from 32 medical specialties was selected as the study population. Sample was proportionately selected among these specialties. Using Lwanga and Lemeshow (1991) method 427 trainees were selected as study sample and the response rate was 89% (380). Collected data was analyzed using SPSS ver. 23. According to the findings, the electronic environment has created a positive hope in the information seeking trend and training sessions to enhance information literacy was highly appreciated by the trainees as a means of improving the digital information literacy skill, and to downsize their ability to access the appropriate resources and to save their time. Further, the topmost information need was for exam preparation. HINARI and PUBMED were the widely used electronic resources by the majority of trainees. Most of the trainees did not attend the orientations or workshops conducted by PGIM and a major reason for not participating was that time has not been allocated for orientations. Study concluded that availability of electronic information resources was directly affecting the information searching trend of trainees following postgraduate medical education. This study recommends that the library of the PGIM should provide more digital resources, proper training on digital information literacy skills and efficient Internet services in the library.