LIBRARY INSTRUCTION IN THE MEDICAL-SCHOOL CURRICULUM - A SURVEY OF MEDICAL-COLLEGE LIBRARIES

Future physicians must learn to cope with continuing changes in access to medical information. New instructional techniques, such as problem -based learning, emphasize the importance of research skills to medica l students. To investigate the feasibility of establishing library ins truction as a required part of the East Tennessee State University Col lege of Medicine curriculum for undergraduates, the university's medic al library surveyed 123 medical school libraries to determine the leve l of instruction offered by other academic medical libraries. The surv ey asked whether formal instruction was offered or required, and which courses were taught at each level of undergraduate training. Analysis of the fifty-five responses revealed that 75% offered formal library instruction, and that 49% of these respondents (36% of the total sampl e) required all students to take such courses. The courses offered mos t often were library tours, online catalog instruction, and MEDLINE-on -CD-ROM classes. Overall, thirty-three different course titles were of fered by responding libraries. The majority of classes involved second - and third-year students. The survey responses reveal the prevalence of required library instruction in medical school curricula, and a bro ad-scale commitment to the development of lifelong learning skills amo ng future health professionals.