Library instruction in medical education: a survey of current practices in the United States and Canada.

Amanda M Nevius,Alissa P Link,Laura Y Sobel,A’Llyn Ettien

doi:10.5195/jmla.2018.374

Amanda M Nevius, Alissa P Link + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2018.374

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Abstract

ObjectiveThe most recent survey on instruction practices in libraries affiliated with accredited medical institutions in the United States was conducted in 1996. The present study sought to update these data, while expanding to include Canadian libraries. Additional analysis was undertaken to test for statistically significant differences between library instruction in the United States and Canada and between libraries affiliated with highly ranked and unranked institutions.MethodsA twenty-eight-question survey was distributed to libraries affiliated with accredited US and Canadian medical schools to assess what and how often librarians teach, as well as how librarians are involved in the curriculum committee and if they are satisfied with their contact with students and faculty. Quantitative data were analyzed with SAS, R, and MedCalc.ResultsMost of the seventy-three responding libraries provided instruction, both asynchronously and synchronously. Library instruction was most likely to be offered in two years of medical school, with year one seeing the most activity. Database use was the most frequently taught topic, and libraries reported a median of five librarians providing instruction, with larger staffs offering slightly more education sessions per year. Libraries associated with highly ranked schools were slightly more likely to offer sessions that were integrated into the medical school curriculum in year four and to offer sessions in more years overall.ConclusionsIn US and Canadian libraries, regardless of the rank of the affiliated medical school, librarians’ provision of instruction in multiple formats on multiple topics is increasingly common.

Highlights

Studies dating back to the 1930s have shown libraries playing a role in medical education [1], and a well-maintained library with staff responsive to a school’s needs is a requirement for accreditation of medical schools by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) [2]
To investigate how and how often such library instruction is delivered to medical students, Earl conducted a survey of 123 US medical school libraries in 1996 [3], and Eldredge et al conducted a 2013 regional update, surveying 17 medical school libraries in the western United States [4]
The authors conducted a new survey with 2 initial aims: (1) to update the original Earl study and (2) to expand its coverage to include Canada, as both US and Canadian medical schools are accredited by the LCME (Canadian schools are accredited jointly by the LCME and the Committee on the Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools)

Summary

Introduction

Studies dating back to the 1930s have shown libraries playing a role in medical education [1], and a well-maintained library with staff responsive to a school’s needs is a requirement for accreditation of medical schools by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) [2]. To investigate how and how often such library instruction is delivered to medical students, Earl conducted a survey of 123 US medical school libraries in 1996 [3], and Eldredge et al conducted a 2013 regional update, surveying 17 medical school libraries in the western United States [4]. These 2 surveys showed that instructional content that libraries provided covered topics such as use of literature databases and citation management software, professional writing, and critical evaluation and was provided in a variety of formats including workshops, lectures, virtual instruction, and orientation sessions. The authors conducted a new survey with 2 initial aims: (1) to update the original Earl study and (2) to expand its coverage to include Canada, as both US and Canadian medical schools are accredited by the LCME (Canadian schools are accredited jointly by the LCME and the Committee on the Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools)

Methods

Results

Conclusion