Emily Brennan, MLIS Information Services Librarian Eileen Eandi, MLIS Associate Director Evans Whitaker, MD, MLIS Clinical Support Librarian Educational & Research Services Division University Of Southern California Norris Medical Library Rejuvenating the Library’s Role in the Medical Curriculum

Objective of Presentation To describe how the USC Norris Medical Library used student focus groups to rejuvenate its instructional role in the Keck School of Medicine (KSOM).

USC Norris Medical Library Educational & Research Services Division: 6.5 librarians Collaborate with:  Students, Residents, Fellows, Faculty, Staff  Keck School of Medicine  ~170 per class, plus Master’s and Ph.D. students  School of Pharmacy  Department of Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy  Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy  Hospitals: USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center Hospital, USC University Hospital, LAC+USC Medical Center, Doheny Eye Institute  Affiliated Hospital: Childrens Hospital Los Angeles

Purpose of Focus Groups To improve library instruction and assignments, and learn when we are needed in the curriculum.

Focus Groups May 2009 Invitation sent via each class’s listserv Incentive:  lunch at Faculty Center  2 GB USB flash drive with Norris Medical Library logo Year 1 focus group: 8 students Year 2 focus group: 8 students Years 3 & 4 focus group: 8 students

Focus Group Questions: Year 1 Students 1. Introduction 2. Orientation 3. Library Literature Search Project 4. Library Support During the Year 5. Personal Librarian Program 6. Library Website 7. Conclusion

Focus Group Questions: Introduction Introductions  Name tags Supplemental materials  Library Literature Search Project  Pens, scratch paper Purpose of focus group  To improve library instruction and assignments, and learn when we are needed in the curriculum Focus group rules  Stay on track  Ensure even participation  Maintain momentum

Focus Group Questions: Orientation What are your thoughts on the 2-hour library orientation session?  One hour: resources demo; identifying key concepts in a clinical scenario  One hour: hands-on Ovid MEDLINE training session Prompts: Ovid MEDLINE vs. PubMed? What content do you recommend for the orientation sessions? Have you used the library resources that we covered since orientation? Which resources do you wish we had covered? Was practice with the clinical scenarios useful? How could we encourage more class participation?

Orientation Revisions PreviouslyCurrently Hour 1 (hands-on)Ovid MEDLINE (advanced search) Ovid MEDLINE (basic search); eBooks; clinical info tools; anatomy resource Hour 2Website; identifying key concepts in clinical question Website; MedWeb; patient-doctor interview, MedlinePlus, AccessMedicine Practice search topic(s) Prostate cancer; asthma; depression Diabetes Mellitus

Focus Group Questions: Library Literature Search Project You’re in the process of doing the third assignment of the Library Literature Search project. What are your thoughts on this project? Prompts: Useful? Comments on timing? Do the 3 assignments build on each other? What type of assignment would help you more?

Library Literature Search Project Historically: 3 Ovid MEDLINE assignments  Increasing complexity Assignment asks them to:  Create searchable question based on scenario  Find 5 articles that answer your question Distributed during orientation Several weeks between distribution and due dates Graded numerically No other resources taught during year 1

Library Literature Search Project Revisions PreviouslyCurrently Assignment #1Ovid MEDLINEOvid MEDLINE (basic search); eBooks; clinical info tools; MedlinePlus TopicVarious topicsCystic fibrosis Distribution / Due DatesSept 8 / Sept 22, 2008August 19 / August 24, 2009 Assignment #2Ovid MEDLINEPubMed TopicVarious topicsNeuroscience topics Distribution / Due DatesFeb 2 / March 7, 2009March 1 / March 8, 2010 Assignment #3Ovid MEDLINEnone TopicVarious topics Distribution / Due DatesMarch 23 / May 11, 2009

Focus Group Questions: Library Support During the Year Are there other ways in which the library could support your learning during year 1? Prompts: Optional library sessions? Topics? Brief in-class introduction to key resources intermittently throughout the year in ICM? PPM (Professionalism & the Practice of Medicine): should we meet with your groups of 24 on a few Monday afternoons to discuss ethical issues, patient education resources, etc? How would you feel about an optional afternoon clinical workshop series, e.g. “case file mysteries” or “clinical resources”?

Library Support During the Year Technology Lunch Series  less academic topics  free pizza lunch Facebook Twitter Website: student portal Reminder s to listservs regarding  Personal librarians  Student portal

Focus Group Questions: Personal Librarian Program We started the personal librarian program this year to pair each student with a librarian who would help them throughout the four years of medical school. What are your thoughts on the program? Prompts: Do you know who your personal librarian is? How often did you interact with your librarian this year? Was your experience with the Library Literature Search Project assignment affected by having a personal librarian? Will you contact him/her in the future if you need help finding information?

What is your experience with using the library website? Prompts: Student portal: do you know about it? Use it? What else needs to be on it? What should we take off? Reserves: how often have you used print and/or electronic reserves? Are there enough copies of the print? Do the eReserves upload quickly enough? Prefer electronic or print textbooks? Focus Group Questions: Library Website

Library Website Revisions: MedWeb

Library Website Revisions: Student Portal

Library Website Revisions: Systems

Library Website Revisions: SPP Cases

Library Website Revisions: LibGuides

Summary of Revisions Improved orientation sessions Improved assignments  Resources  Topics  Deadlines Continued support  Technology Lunch Series Website: student portal  Systems  SPP Cases  LibGuides

Questions? Emily Brennan