Library instruction for medical students during a curriculum elective

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Library and Information Science

Background:

• The University of Minnesota Medical School implemented an innovative Didactic/Selective curriculum for third- and fourth-year students.
• This curriculum offers multidisciplinary and multispecialty courses to enhance medical training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and implement a library research and information management course for medical students.
• To equip students with essential skills for navigating and utilizing biomedical information resources.

Main Methods:

• The course included training on searching print indexes for case-related topics.
• Students learned to formulate and execute MEDLINE searches using BRS Colleague.
• Methods for building personal information files (using PC-File or Notebook) and current awareness were explored.

Main Results:

• Student evaluations of the course were overwhelmingly positive.
• The majority of students found the course engaging and the acquired knowledge substantial.
• The course successfully imparted practical library research and information management skills.

Conclusions:

• The Bio-Medical Library's course effectively enhanced medical students' information literacy.
• The curriculum's focus on practical skills like database searching and personal file management proved valuable.
• Innovative library instruction can significantly contribute to medical education and research preparedness.