Kaye Lasserre

Is Wikipedia unsuitable as a clinical information resource for medical students

Teaching sessions for junior doctors are commonly evaluated using a paper questionnaire handed to participants at the end of the session. More recently evaluation has been undertaken on-line, often several days later. It is not known if the delay and changed modality affects the content of the evaluation. We have compared the results of evaluations using both methods for the same teaching. Sixty-eight F2 trainees attended a seminar entitled ‘Clinical Governance and Patient Safety’ (delivered by RP). Trainees were expected to complete an on-line evaluation within 2 weeks of the seminar date. However, they were also asked to complete an identical paper-based questionnaire at the end of the session. They were asked to mark both the content and delivery as ‘poor’, ‘average’ or ‘good’. There was space for comments. It was possible to calculate a percentage score by allocating a mark of 1 for ‘poor’, 2 for ‘average’ and 3 for ‘good’; the sum of these scores was divided by the maximum score available (3 the number of returns) 100. There were 55 paper and 68 on-line responses. The paper scores were 95% for content and 96% for delivery; the on-line scores were lower at 85% for content and 87% for delivery. The number of comments made per person was higher for the paper evaluation (1.7) than the on-line (1.0). The percentages of positive, neutral and negative comments (most were positive) were similar for the two methods. This study has shown that a presenter receives more favourable and extensive feed-back if the evaluation is requested shortly after an educational session, compared with an evaluation several days later on-line. Immediate responses may reveal feelings of well-being and the degree of rapport with the teacher rather than educational value of the teaching itself. However, the differences could also reflect the physical nature of paper and on-line methods; the effort required to log on to the internet, use passwords and type responses may have a negative impact. This takes longer than the completion of a paper questionnaire and may explain the reduced number of comments. There were more on-line than paper returns because the former was obligatory and the latter voluntary. Multiple factors should be taken into account when interpreting the results of evaluations.

International trends in health science librarianship: part 1 - the English speaking world.

This is the second in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the first decade of the 21st century. The invited authors were asked to reflect on developments in their country - viz. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Future issues will track trends in Northern Europe, the Nordic countries, Southern Europe and Latin America. JM.

Health Sciences Librarians' Research on Medical Students' Use of Information for Their Studies at The Medical School, University of Queensland, Australia

This study reports the findings of research undertaken by health sciences librarians at the University of Queensland Library into how medical students use information for their studies, particularly resources and services provided by the Library. The methods utilized were an online survey and focus groups. Results indicated that students favor print resources over electronic, value accessing resources on a one-stop basis, and prefer training to be delivered flexibly. The implication of these results for future resource selection, service provision, and instructional design and delivery is discussed.

Building Research Capacity of Medical Students and Health Professionals in Rural Communities: Leveraging a Rural Clinical School's Resources to Conduct Research Skills Workshops.

The paper reports on a project where the objective was for the Rural Clinical School, The University of Queensland, Australia, to design an acceptable model of research skills workshops for medical students and rural health professionals. Eight, interactive research skills workshops focused on skill development were conducted in rural Queensland, and attended by 62 undergraduate medical students and rural health professionals. The workshop learning objectives were to: provide an understanding of research methods and practise some basic research skills; and develop a greater understanding of the research process. Of the 53 participants who provided evaluations, more than two-thirds agreed that the learning objectives were met, and although health professionals evaluated the workshops most highly, two-thirds of the medical students also agreed. Consistent with the positive quantitative evaluations, participants reported valuing the knowledge acquired in the workshops, combined with the teaching methods. The...

International trends in Health Science Librarianship: Part 1 - the English speaking world: International perspectives and initiatives

This is the second in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the first decade of the 21st century. The invited authors were asked to reflect on developments in their country - viz. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Future issues will track trends in Northern Europe, the Nordic countries, Southern Europe and Latin America. JM.

Trends in the last 10 years in Australian health librarianship

This is the second in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the first decade of the 21st century. The invited authors were asked to reflect on developments in their country - viz. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Future issues will track trends in Northern Europe, the Nordic countries, Southern Europe and Latin America. JM.

International perspectives and initiatives: international trends in health science librarianship: Part 1 – the English speaking world

This is the second in a series of articles exploring international trends in health science librarianship in the first decade of the 21st century. The invited authors were asked to reflect on developments in their country - viz. Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. Future issues will track trends in Northern Europe, the Nordic countries, Southern Europe and Latin America. JM.