Research-Based Development of a Health Information Professional Concentration and Certificate

Ma, Jinxuan; Vardell, Emily

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Description

Title

Research-Based Development of a Health Information Professional Concentration and Certificate

Author(s)

• Ma, Jinxuan
• Vardell, Emily

Issue Date

2020-10-13

Keyword(s)

• Health information professional
• Professional competency
• Evidence-based approach

Abstract

Health information professional (HIP) refers to “information professionals, librarians, or informaticists who have special knowledge in quality health information resources” (MLA, 2017, para. 2). The diversity of emerging HIP roles indicates daunting challenges unique to LIS students pursuing HIP careers and to LIS programs endeavoring to develop and update specialized LIS curricula for HIPs. This poster explicates action research built upon the findings of a sequential two-phase project, which included a scoping literature review of scholarly publications on the topic of HIP roles and skills and a survey of employers on the competencies and attributes expected of entry-level HIPs (Ma et al., 2018; Ma et al., 2020). This action research project seeks to create a HIP Concentration and Certificate with course learning outcomes developed and adapted from core HIP professional competencies and employer expectations identified in the two-phase project. Students planning to pursue the HIP Concentration or the HIP Certificate may customize their trajectory with courses including health sciences librarianship, consumer health information, a seminar in current issues for HIP, health informatics, health information systems and management, and health disparities for diverse health communities. Through adapting and consolidating existing courses, LIS faculty and advisors can effectively counsel students early in their studies, inform them of required professional competencies and desirable qualifications, and facilitate work-integrated or preprofessional learning opportunities within and beyond the curriculum. It is hoped that this project will provide an evidence-based approach to developing future specialized HIP programs in LIS education.

Series/Report Name or Number

Curriculum

Type of Resource

text

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