HSLS Librarians Help Residents Build Information Competencies
The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) stipulates that "the residency program must require its residents to develop competencies in six areas to the level expected of a new practitioner."
These include several information competencies, stating that residents must be able to:
- locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to their patients’ health problems
- obtain and use information about their own population of patients and the larger population from which their patients are drawn
- apply knowledge of study designs and statistical methods to the appraisal of clinical studies and other information on diagnostic and therapeutic effectiveness
- use information technology to manage information, access online medical information; and support their own education. 1
HSLS faculty librarians are addressing these ACGME requirements by offering orientation and training programsfor UPMC residents in many different capacities. In some cases, librarians provide a basic orientation to the library and its services and resources. In other cases, they serve as course faculty for more comprehensive informatics training programs. Services are frequently customized so that the content and schedule best meets the needs of each group. The training is often provided by a team of librarians with specialized knowledge in different subject areas.
Highlights of various resident training programs include:
Neurology Residents
First-year neurology residents gather in the Falk Library Computer and Media Center (CMC) classroom for a one-hour lecture every afternoon for the first two weeks of July. In these 10 hours, they learn about literature searching, using clinical and drug databases, advanced Web searching, EBM searching, EndNote, Photoshop, and basic information literacy skills. Residents are able to develop a rapport with instructors, ask questions, and develop skills over time.
Pathology Residents
As part of their intensive informatics rotation, third-year pathology residents receive 11 hours of training on literature searching, EndNote, PowerPoint, finding and using medical images, Photoshop, advanced Web searching, citation searching, and Internet technology. Librarians offer these courses onsite at the UPCI Cancer Pavilion over several days as part of a larger program.
Podiatry Residents
Podiatry residents at UPMC South Side requested a seven-hour boot camp- style training on a Saturday in July – one of the only times they could all meet together. Topics include literature searching, citation searching, advanced Web searching, EBM searching, and searching for grant information.
Psychiatry Residents
WPIC librarians have worked with the curriculum director to develop an extensive training program that provides targeted instruction throughout the residents’ five year experience. Residents receive eight or more hours of training and consultations over their five years, covering library orientation, basic and advanced literature searching in MEDLINE and PsycINFO, EBM searching, drug resources, PDA resources, and other information literacy skills.
Other groups of residents that receive library orientations and training include ambulatory care, anesthesiology, family practice, internal medicine, occupational medicine, ophthalmology, pediatrics, and pharmacy.
In addition to these programs, HSLS participates in the introductory orientation program for all incoming UPMC residents. Librarians also provide brief presentations at departmental orientations and at Grand Rounds.
To inquire about training for residents, contact Ammon Ripple, head of Reference Services, at 412-648-1251 or ammon2@pitt.edu.
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1. www.acgme.org/outcome/comp/compFull.asp
--Ammon Ripple
