Related Experiment Videos
Use of Web-based library resources by medical students in community and ambulatory settings
Nancy Hrinya Tannery1, Jill E Foust, Amy L Gregg
1Health Sciences Library System, Falk Library of the Health Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, USA. tannery@pitt.edu
Purpose:
The purpose was to evaluate the use of Web-based library resources by third-year medical students.
Setting/Participants/Resources:
Third-year medical students (147) in a twelve-week multidisciplinary primary care rotation in community and ambulatory settings.
Methodology:
Individual user surveys and log file analysis of Website were used.
Results/Outcomes:
Twenty resource topics were compiled into a Website to provide students with access to electronic library resources from any community-based clerkship location. These resource topics, covering subjects such as hypertension and back pain, linked to curriculum training problems, full-text journal articles, MEDLINE searches, electronic book chapters, and relevant Websites. More than half of the students (69%) accessed the Website on a daily or weekly basis. Over 80% thought the Website was a valuable addition to their clerkship.
Discussion/Conclusion:
Web-based information resources can provide curriculum support to students for whom access to the library is difficult and time consuming.