More Summer Time Reading Fun.

I am enjoying having two leisure reading collections at my disposal:

More information at the Calder Blog:

http://caldercomm.med.miami.edu/

Here's what I'm reading on the train:

Fellowship Opportunity for Librarians

Grace and Harold Sewell Memorial Fund


Learning Partnership Fellowship

Unique fellowship in Disaster Preparedness, Emergency Medicine, and Out-of-Hospital Care available for Masters-trained Information Science or Informatics Professional

Length of Fellowship: 12 months; desired start date is early September, 2012.

The Learning Partnership Fellowship has been organized as a joint partnership between:

• MESH Coalition (a disaster preparedness organization)

• Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Out-of-Hospital Care; and

• Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services

The purpose of the Fellowship is to provide an opportunity for an informationist to participate in, and become a contributing member of, the operational activities and research of the three organizations. These organizations work collaboratively providing opportunities to work with a range of professionals that are state and national leaders in disaster preparedness, emergency medicine, out-of-hospital care, pediatrics and public health.

An Advisory Group will guide the Learning Partnership Fellow and will be responsible for activity development, mentorship and oversight.

Responsibilities include:

• Actively participate in training and fieldwork in the three disciplines described above and develop an appreciation for the professionals working in these fields.

• Choose a particular area of interest in out-of-hospital care/disaster preparedness and develop research specialization in that area.

• Contribute to research and training conducted in disaster preparedness and out-of-hospital care.

• Study the fields of quality assurance and evidence-based medicine and work with colleagues to develop up-to-date, evidence-based medical protocols for out-of-hospital care.

Required: Masters Degree in Library and Information Science from an accredited institution. Strong interest in the health care field with a particular interest in a hands-on learning environment geared toward emergency care and disaster preparedness. Three to five years of experience in information science, informatics or library science. Prior experience in health care or research setting preferred, but not required.

Employer and Stipend: Indiana University School of Medicine; $55,000 without benefits.

Interested candidates may send a: 1) 1-2 page cover letter explaining their interest in the Sewell Fund Learning Partnership and how the fellowship will help further their career goals, 2) curriculum vitae and 3) 3 references by August 3, 2012 to SewellFellow@gmail.com.

Books about Doctors and Medicine

Summer Reading Guide

by Barbara A. Wood, MLIS

http://lifedev.net/2009/06/reading-makes-you-better/

 

 

My two favorite PICO's



1.  The Puma PICO





2.  PICO #2:  "For a 40-year old, Caucasian female with bipolar disorder, is electroconvulsive therapy more effective than lithium for reducing hallucinations?"

Patient =          40-yr old, Caucasian female

Problem =        Bipolar disorder

Intervention =  Electroconvulsive therapy

Comparison =  Lithium

Why?  Is it a good PICO.  Cuz it's all MeSH...no plebeian keywords allowed here.  4 solid parts of controlled vocabulary goodness that is saving Princess Leia...

Carrie Fisher spiraled into the worst depression of her life after a close friend died in 2005. "I was as close to being suicidal as you can be without being suicidal," said the 55-year-old actress, novelist, and Star Wars legend. "I was devastated." When anti-depressants and psychotherapy failed to help, she turned to ECT. "Over time, this f---ing thing punched the dark lights out of my depression," she said. "It was like a mute button muffling the noise of my shrieking feelings." Now she's come to depend on shock treatments every six weeks to keep her demons at bay, though she says the cure can be "a bitch on memory." ECT's most common side effect, temporary memory loss, does have an upside, she said. She forgets movies she's just seen, but now "I can be entertained by them all over again."  --Source "The Week"

"I'm so over MeSH*" or "I know you'd like to search PubMed like Google..."

"Life is not easy for any of us, but what of that? We must have perseverance and above all confidence in ourselves. We must believe that we are gifted in something, and that this thing, at whatever cost, must be attained."  --Marie Curie

Yea MeSH can be hard, so is going to college, having children, and a slew of other worthwhile activities.



"You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometime, you just might find, you get what you need." --Jagger/Richards 

Many good and useful things are not immediately easy, so I categorically dismiss being over MeSH.  Why?

Hate to sound like an old school librarian, but not really...Bottom line is this..
It's preposterous that someone in bioinformatics would claim to be "so over MeSH."  For advanced users, researchers, and librarians, MeSH is an absolute must.

By the way I love PICO: 

This week's best PICO question:

For a 23 year-old Asian American male, is minoxidil or propecia a more effective treatment for androgenic allopecia to reduce hair loss? 

Tell me why this is such a good PICO question and you'll get extra credit. 

Not really but in my heart you'll get extra credit.

*Word on the street.  

S.P.A.T. - Website Evaluation Tool

What is SPAT? A mnemonic cue to help consumers evaluate web pages.
What does SPAT stand for: Site, Pulisher, Audience, Timliness

Why SPAT?
SPAT tested pre and post tests
Ease of use
Paricipants learn importance of being skeptical
Memorable, functional, reliable, usable for all ages

S in Spat represents the word Site

The 'S' reminds you to look for the website's address. The website's address contains information that tells you who is providing the site's content. It also is vital for finding that information again.
How Do I Find That?

• Find the site's address.
• Find the type of content provider

 Why this Matters
Allows you to find the site again
Discern bias
Content provider
Motivation of content provider




Review Question
Question: What would be the motivation for bias in www.ritzcarlton.com vs. www.tripadvisor.com?

P in SPAT represents the word 'Publisher.

'P' reminds you to find who is publishing the content. If there is not a name taking responsibility for the content, then find another source of the information.
How Do I Find That?

•  Look for a publisher.
•  Look for contact information.

Why This Matters
Knowing the website helps you know if the website is right for you.
Review Question
Question: Is a web page with a publisher listed for contact better than a web page without a publisher?

A in SPAT represents the word 'Audience.'

The 'A' reminds you to seek out who the intended audience is for the site.

How Do I Find That?

• Look at the words on the page and see if you can explain all of them.
• If you can not, then find another web page.
• If you do understand the words then think about the next question you should ask.
• Decide who is the intended audience.

Why This Matters
Knowing the audience helps you decide:

• If the web page is right for you.
• If the web page is targeting a specific audience and if you are part of that audience.

  Review Question
Question: A web page with primarily colorful graphics depicting a child smoking is targeting what audience?

T in SPAT represents the word 'Timeliness.'

The 'T' reminds you to find the date the content was published. This tells you if you have old, new or questionable information.

How Do I Find That?

• Look for a publication date, last updated date, or date created.

Why This Matters

• Knowing the date information was published helps you decide if information is accurate for your needs.
• If you are writing a historical perspective on medicine, older information may work.
• If you need information on how to treat a disease you want the most current information.
• If no date is provided, there is no way to know when the information was published. This is not a 'good' web page.

Review Question:
Question:You found a page on US government law and want to use it for a report you are writing. You can not find a publication time period for the web page. Should you use the page as an information source?
Practice SPATing

Janet Schneider to retire February 3, 2012

After 35 years of dedicated service. Janet Schneider will be retiring effective February 3, 2012 



Janet M. Schneider, Chief, Library Service at James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Tampa FL

 Janet has extended an invitation to the FFJC to attend her 

Retirement Party

 February 2, from 11:30 to 1:30

VA SCI Middle dining room on the west side of the campus

"Food will be served"