Conference Agenda

Teaching Evidence-Based Medicine: Acting on Challenges, Bridging Disciplines, Sharing Solutions

Catherine Pepper. MLIS. MPH¹, T. Derek Halling. MLIS. AHIP², Margaret Foster. MS. MPH. AHIP¹

¹Texas A&M University, Medical Sciences Library, College Station, Texas, USA; ²Texas A&M University, Evans Library, College Station, Texas, USA; cpepper@tamu.edu

Teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM) is often a vital and substantial portion of medical libraries' instructional programs. Yet teaching EBM has presented challenges, as well as opportunities, for both medical librarians and medical school faculty. This session be composed of three parts. First, speakers will briefly share the results of a recent qualitative research project investigating effective educational approaches and challenges in teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM) from multiple medical schools. They will report on the extent to which librarians are involved in teaching EBM skills and the perceptions of librarians and medical school faculty on the value of including librarians in EBM teaching and curriculum design. Second, participants will engage in structured, sequential discussions about methods, challenges, and strategies for teaching EBM. Effective teaching approaches for medical students at different stages of education will be covered. Participants will compare EBM teaching methods from other disciplines, such as nursing and pharmacy, and will identify specific strategies for learning activities and for overcoming curricular challenges that could be applied in their own settings. Participants will reflect on the effects of clinical point-of-care tools on effectiveness of EBM teaching and will share ideas on how to overcome organizational and cultural barriers to EBM instruction. Finally, in a parallel design exercise (https://www.usability.gov/get-involved/blog/2006/02/parallel-design.html), participants will incorporate discussion ideas into design and content of a shared repository of EBM teaching materials. Participants will leave with an evidence-based and crowd-shared plan for increasing librarian involvement at their institutions’ EBM instruction programs and for implementing desired changes in EBM instruction. Prior to the session, participants will be asked to read a pertinent journal article, and to bring their current EBM teaching materials and descriptions of their institutions’ EBM teaching methods.

Learning outcomes : Identify common barriers, strategies, and recommendations for teaching EBM. Describe and judge proposed solutions for overcoming barriers for teaching EBM. Create a composite PowerPoint or outline of effective EBM instruction and assessment. Design a repository for EBM teaching materials and methods..

Type of interactivity :  Flipped classroom (article to read before session); large and small group discussions and exercises; individual exercises; parallel design exercise for proposed repository.

Level : Introductory/Intermediate

Target audience : Librarians who participate in, or who wish to participate in, teaching evidence-based medicine. Previous experience in teaching EBM is helpful but not required.

Preparation for the session : Yes

Biography and Bibliography Catherine Pepper, MLIS, MPH, is Associate Professor/Field Services Coordinator for the Texas A&M University Medical Sciences Library. Cathy is 2019 Chair of the Medical Library Association’s Research Section. Cathy’s research focuses on use of scholarly metrics to quantify faculty research impact and a qualitative study on teaching evidence-based medicine.
T. Derek Halling, MLIS, is Associate Professor/Director of Evans Subject Specialists at Texas A&M University Libraries. He has a background in IT and has focused on the library user experience and creation and implementation of new library services. His research focuses on expansion of library liaison activities across multiple university disciplines.
Margaret J. Foster, MS, MPH, AHIP, is Associate Professor/Systematic Reviews Coordinator at the Texas A&M University Medical Sciences Library. She founded MLA’s Systematic Reviews Special Interest Group, and co-authored the only book on systematic reviews for librarians: Assembling the Pieces of a Systematic Review: A Guide for Librarians.