"This course will focus on the online retrieval and evaluation of medical literature and the issues surrounding provision of timely, relevant, peer-reviewed medical information. Emphasis will be on the development of the intellectual acuity required to provide physicians, nurses, pharmacists, allied health professionals, medical researchers and consumers with targeted responses to medical queries. Current search modalities such as Evidence-Based Medicine will be covered both in readings and in class discussions. 3 credits"
What will we be covering in this course?
- Online information resources in nursing, medical, pharmaceutical and allied health fields
- Evidence-based medicine and its impact upon searching the medical literature
- Consumer health information resources
- Current trends in online searching
- Medical news - From talk shows to the evening news, looking for the facts
- Career paths for health sciences librarians
Health sciences librarianship offers many exciting career paths in hospitals, academia, government, corporations and special libraries. The ability to search the medical literature is a significant component of a successful career in medical librarianship and also serves as a valuable skill for librarians working in public libraries, corporations, news organizations and academic settings. We will explore the skills, resources and trends of searching the medical literature. Readings will include overviews of medical databases, both open access and commercial, and the controlled vocabulary required to enable accurate information retrieval. We will also examine the information requirements of health care professionals, patients, consumers and researchers. Lectures and readings will provide knowledge of the scope of online resources, technology and systems. The course will include in-depth coverage of PubMed database and its medical subject headings.
Course Format: This course will be taught virtually using D2L on the Web. Virtual course lectures will be posted twice a week with discussion forums set each week covering lectures and readings. You will be expected to actively participate in online discussions, posting a thoughful comment, question or reply at least once every week. There is no required textbook for this course. Assigned readings will be available electronically.
There is no required text to buy. All readings will be available electronically. Some assigned readings will be accessed online through the National Library of Medicine's PubMed database which provides access to biomedical literature. All reading assignments will be posted on D2L.
The following journals, texts and professional associations support health sciences database searching. They are not required for this course.
Journal of the Medical Library Association ; Medical Reference Services Quarterly ; International Journal of Medical Informatics ; Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association; Health Information and Libraries Journal
Boorkman, J.A., Huber, J.T. & Roper, F.W. (Eds.) (2004). Introduction to Reference Sources in the Health Sciences (4th Edition). New York: Neal-Schuman.
Societies
Medical Library Association ; Special Libraries Association ; American Medical Informatics Association
There are four components that go into the final course grade:
| Requirement | Percentage of Final Grade |
| Participation |
15% |
| Coursework | 60% |
| Final Project | 25% |
Participation: Online discussion of course lectures and readings will take place in D2L discussion forums. You will be required to post a thoughtful comment at least once every week. Further information on discussion forums and use of email will be located on D2L. Readings should be completed before each lecture is posted in order to facilitate online group discussions. I will post class lectures each Monday and Wednesday during the semester. The assigned class readings will enhance your understanding of the class lectures and expand your subject expertise.
Coursework: Online searching exercises will be assigned regularly during the course.. Searching exercises will provide you wth the hands-on searching skills you need to become proficient in medical searching. Students must complete each exercise individually and submit it via the D2L dropbox. Due dates for each assignment will be posted on D2L.
Final Project: Overview of one medical topic to be selected during the first two weeks of class. All topics must be approved by the instructor. The project will include current treatment, consumer Web sites, epidemiology, economic impact, high impact journals within the field, current research and authorities in the field. You will also submit the literature searches conducted in support of your paper. All of the searching skills and information resources required to complete this assignment will be covered in class lectures, readings and hands-on exercises.
Academic Code of Integrity
Students are expected to abide by The University of Arizona Code of Academic Integrity. 'The guiding principle of academic integrity is that a student's submitted work must be the student's own.' If you have any questions regarding what is acceptable practice under this Code, please ask an Instructor.
Accommodating Disabilities
The University has a Disability Resource Center. If you anticipate the need for reasonable accommodations to meet the requirements of this course, you must register with the Disability Resource Center and request that the DRC send me, the Instructor, official notification of your accommodation needs as soon as possible. Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss accommodations and how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate.Assignment Policies
The classroom environment for the course is D2L. Assignments will be turned in via the D2L DropBox.
Complete assigned readings by the end of the day on which they are scheduled.
Actively participate in D2L class discussions by posting at least one thoughtful comment each week.
Specific due dates for all readings, exercises and projects will be posted on D2L.
Incompletes
The current Catalog readsThe grade of I may be awarded only at the end of a term, when all but a minor portion of the course work has been satisfactorily completed. The grade of I is not to be awarded in place of a failing grade or when the student is expected to repeat the course; in such a case, a grade other than I must be assigned. Students should make arrangements with the instructor to receive an incomplete grade before the end of the term ...
If the incomplete is not removed by the instructor within one year the I grade will revert to a failing grade.
Grade Breakdown
| Requirement | Percentage of Final Grade |
| Participation |
15% |
| Coursework | 60% |
| Final Project | 25% |
Assignment of Course Grades:
Course grades will be assigned as follows:
A=90+ (Superior Work)
B=80-89 (Very Good)
C=70-79 (Marginally Satisfactory)
F=0-69 (Failed to meet requirements)
Students are required to submit all assignments and exercises. Work submitted late will lose ten (10) points. Any requests for extended time for assignments, such as medical reasons, must be approved by the instructor on a case by case basis.
I am physically located in the Arizona Health Sciences Library, Room 2149. I am available through University email Monday - Friday. I am also available, by appointment, either in my office or by telephone. My office phone number is 520.626.6438, but the best way to reach me is through University email. I will make every effort to respond to your email messages and telephone calls promptly.
