Related Experiment Videos
An Analysis of Physician Assistant LibGuides: A Tool for Collection Development
Catherine V Johnson1, Scott Y Johnson2
1a University of La Verne , La Verne , California , USA.
Medical Reference Services Quarterly
|October 19, 2017
Summary
Physician Assistant (PA) education relies on diverse library resources. Analysis of PA LibGuides reveals databases and point-of-care tools as the most frequently recommended resources for PA programs.
Area of Science:
- Medical Librarianship
- Health Sciences Education
- Physician Assistant Studies
Background:
- The Physician Assistant (PA) profession requires a broad range of library resources to support education and practice.
- Understanding the most utilized resources is crucial for academic librarians serving PA programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze Physician Assistant (PA) LibGuides from accredited U.S. institutions.
- To identify the most frequently recommended library resources within these guides.
Main Methods:
- A sample of LibGuides from U.S. PA programs accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) was collected.
- Resources listed on the selected guides were systematically tabulated and categorized by type.
- Frequency of resource recommendation across guides was analyzed.
Main Results:
- Databases and point-of-care tools were the most frequently recommended resource types across the analyzed PA LibGuides.
- Over 1,000 books were listed across 45 guides, with more than 600 unique titles identified.
- A relatively smaller number of journals (163) were listed compared to books.
Conclusions:
- While PA LibGuides showcase a wide array of unique resources, a core set of frequently recommended resources can be identified.
- Librarians can leverage this data to curate essential resource lists for Physician Assistant education.
- The findings highlight the importance of databases and point-of-care tools in supporting PA curricula.