New Resource: JAMAevidence

Our patrons hoping to boost their knowledge of evidence-based medicine, critical appraisal, and statistics will be well-served by one of our newest resources, JAMAevidence.

Explore the Users’ Guides to Medical Literature to learn how to read medical literature and methodologies of all kinds, and how to apply the literature to patient care. If you’ve ever wondered about the statistics and numbers that you read about in medical research and what exactly they mean, you’ll find all these answers and more in the Users’ Guide.

The Rational Clinical Examination: Evidence-Based Clinical Diagnosis contains a multitude of articles to enhance clinical examination and diagnosis. With this book, students will learn how to understand a patient’s medical history and physical examination. The supplementary Education Guides contain slide decks useful for those teachers of evidence-based practice.

If you’ve ever needed to look up a specific statistical method time and time again, you’ll want to bookmark the JAMA Guide to Statistics and Methods. You can explore stats of an interventional or observational nature in great depth. The section, Practical Guide to Datasets, will be particularly useful if you are curious about using and analyzing large surgical datasets from various sources, including SEER, Medicare, VASQIP, and the NCDB.

Some additional resources you’ll find in JAMAEvidence are 12 handy calculators to aid in things like calculating risk outcomes, number needed to treat, number needed to harm, and likelihood ratios. You’ll also find helpful critical appraisal worksheets and information cycle worksheets.

For additional information about any of these features, or to hear more about this and any other resources, reach out to a librarian at: https://dartmouth-biomed.libanswers.com/form?queue_id=3035.

This post was written by Elaina Vitale, Research and Education Librarian for the Biomedical Libraries.

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Anti-Racism in Medicine and Medical Education

The Biomedical Libraries have a guide of curated resources on the topic of Anti-Racism in Medicine and Medical Education, including many that explore the broader topics of allyship and education. We’ve gathered books, articles, podcasts, videos, and educational toolkits to provide easy access to those who are just starting to learn about this important issue and those who are looking for a deeper dive.

In a newly added section focused on the clinical setting, you’ll find textbooks for practicing dermatology in skin of color and providing patient-centered care for African Americans. There is also a selection of research articles about the ways in which racism affect treatment across the healthcare spectrum from obesity to OBGYN to the use of race in clinical algorithms. Also check out the Clinical Problem Solving Podcast’s Antiracism in Medicine Series.

We’ve also added a section on Race in the Clinical Workplace. In the most recent data available from the AAMC, only 7.1% of acceptees to U.S. medical schools in 2018-2019 were Black or African America; only 6.2% were Hispanic or Latino. Only 5% of active physicians in 2018 were Black or African America and 5.8% were Hispanic or Latino. These significant gaps in diversity in both medical schools and clinical workplaces can often lead to inequalities and experiences of racism reported by medical students and practicing physicians. We’ve included a few books on this topic, as well as a starting list of research articles.

This guide is a constant work in progress, and we welcome your suggestions for new resources to include. Please feel free to send us your suggestions using the email form here: https://dartmouth-biomed.libanswers.com/form?queue_id=3035

This post was written by Amanda Scull, Head of Education and Information Services for the Biomedical Libraries.

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Two Day Systematic Review Workshop Retreat: Register Today!

Register today to participate in the Systematic Review Workshop Retreat where, over the course of two 3-hour sessions, we will discuss the foundational skills required for you to produce a systematic review.

Join us to learn about the systematic review process including developing a clear question, writing a protocol, building a comprehensive and reproducible search strategy, and using a tool to screen and select potential studies. We’ll provide helpful tips and tricks, along the way, and offer our librarian perspective for each step.

When: December 16th and 17th, 9 AM – 12 PM

Where: The workshop will be held in person in Kellogg 100.

Registration is required: https://libcal.dartmouth.edu/event/8272990?hs=a

Registration is required by December 10th; registering through this event page will sign you up for both days of the workshop. A minimum of 8 attendees will be required for the workshop to run.

This post was written by Amanda Scull, Head of Education and Information Services for the Biomedical Libraries.

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Masking in the Library: Your FAQs Answered

If you’d only wear a mask,

if we’d all help with this task,

we could be done so much quicker,

which we’d all agree is hipper.

If you’d only wear a mask,

in your wisdom I would bask.

Asking you makes me feel dreadful,

I would rather be more helpful.

An Exert from If You’d Only Wear a Mask by Samara Cary

Masking is required in both the Dana Biomedical and Matthews Fuller Health Sciences libraries as with all public indoor spaces at Dartmouth College. It’s come to our attention that there are some questions around this policy, so we’d like to take a few moments to answer the ones we’re getting the most frequently.

Can I take my mask off in a study room?

No, you cannot. While we understand that you may be the only person studying in a closed study room, you still have to wear a mask. Study rooms are common spaces and you have to wear a mask in them.

Can I take my mask off after hours?

We’ve gotten this question a handful of times: no, you cannot. Even if you’re the only person in the library you still need to wear a mask as per the Dartmouth College policy. The library is a public space and you may not be alone for long.

Can I eat/drink in the library?

In accordance with the new policies released during the week of September 27th, eating is no longer allowed in the public areas of Dana Biomedical and Matthews Fuller Health Sciences libraries. The exception to this rule is the kitchen in Dana. At this time, we ask that you limit your time without a mask to 15 minutes and to maintain a distance of 6 feet to minimize the risk of transmission while eating.

You can still hydrate in both libraries, but we ask that you only lower your mask to take a sip.

Who makes the decision on when I will no longer need to wear a mask?

We are closely monitoring Dartmouth College’s policies as well as all Geisel communication when it comes to all Covid-19 safety protocols. Please remember that these policies are designed to keep everyone safe and healthy, including those with small children at home who are unable to get vaccinated. We will update our policies as directed and are happy to have been able to welcome so many of you to both libraries over the last couple of months.

Still have questions? Send us an email!

This post was written by Samara Cary, an Information Access Assistant for the Biomedical Libraries, and Paige Scudder, a Research and Education Librarian for the Biomedical Libraries.

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Print at Dana Library

Did you know there is a Greenprint station at the Dana Biomedical Library? You can activate your Greenprint account by running the magnetic strip on the back of your Dartmouth ID through the reader of the copier in the Dana café. Once your account is activated, you can then print using the Greenprint station at Dana or any of the 30 Greenprint stations across campus. You can also scan documents at the Greenprint station.

Each term, students will have money for free printing pre-loaded onto their accounts. Copies cost 6 cents per page or 8 cents double-sided. There is no color printing at Dana but color copies can be made at the Greenprint station at Baker-Berry Library. You can check your balance at any time by going to any of the 32 GreenPrint stations and swiping your Dartmouth ID at the card reader.

If you need to print a document – email it to yourself at greenprint@dartmouth.edu and take advantage of Greenprint Mobile. As long as you’ve emailed Greenprint from your Dartmouth email address, the software will know the document is from you and it will show up in your account. Once you’ve sent Greenprint an email, you can login to the system and print the document or documents you emailed to yourself. To set up GreenPrint Mobile with a different email address or for more detailed instruction on how to use it, follow these directions.

Alternatively, you can print a document directly from your computer after you install the Greenprint application.

The final way to print using Greenprint is to upload the document to the Greenprint Center.

For more information about Greenprint (including step-by-step instructions for how to use it), check out the Information Technology Center’s Overview.

This post was written by David Sandberg, an Information Access Assistant for the Biomedical Libraries.

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A Dose of Graphic Medicine – COVID Chronicles: a comics anthology

Exciting news! The Biomedical Libraries has recently acquired a collection of Graphic Medicine novels located just above the Consumer Health collection at Matthews-Fuller library!

This month we look back over the last year with COVID Chronicles: a comics anthology. Although the world continues to be impacted by COVID-19, this anthology provides snapshot stories from writers and artists alike relaying their stories from early and mid-2020 at the height of uncertainty. United around the theme of the pandemic the comics are rich not only in their visual style and variety but in their ability to highlight the numerous ways that lives have been affected. Whether it’s the shift to working from home, being in the depths of providing frontline healthcare, caring for loved ones in sickness and in death, to political unrest, and more, the stories are powerful and heartbreaking but more often uplifting and occasionally humorous. 

There are many notable contributors, including Ian Williams (author of The Bad Doctor) MK Czerwiec (known as the Comics Nurse, author of Taking Turns), and Peter Dunlap-Shohl (author of My Degeneration) and many more.

While each of us has our own experiences that we hold in a compartment of our brains from the last year and since, this compilation allows us to dive into other firsthand accounts and reflections that can help infer meaning from our own and remind us that we are not alone. We will likely see more creative and collaborative accounts of this era, and they will be an invaluable resource for memory and history. Perhaps picking up COVID Chronicles will inspire you to tell your own story and find a new way of connecting with your community through writing, drawing, or both!

This post was written by Samantha Wiebkin, an Information Access Assistant for the Biomedical Libraries.

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Learn Systematic Reviews at Your Own Pace!

Last winter we ran a Systematic Review Workshop series to introduce the fundamentals of a good systematic review and covered topics such as developing a strong research question, the importance of a protocol, and building a comprehensive search. While there are plans to run the series again, you can take advantage of each workshop’s materials anytime!

On the Systematic Review Workshop Series research guide, we provide helpful tips and tricks to help you through the systematic review process and offer our librarian perspective along the way.

Looking for more information about systematic reviews? Our research guide on systematic reviews provides detailed information on planning, search strategy development, record keeping, methodology write-up, and more.

Interested in collaborating with us on a systematic review? Learn more about our systematic review service or email us, we’d be happy to answer your questions.

This post was written by Paige Scudder, a Research and Education Librarian for the Biomedical Libraries.

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Learn Python at Your Own Pace!

Over the last few weeks, we have been running a learn-to-code series called Python Bites. The goal of the series is to provide the foundations needed to get started with python so that you can pursue web or software development, data analysis, or computational programming. If you have never coded before, weren’t able to participate in every workshop, are looking for a refresher, or have experience in other programming languages, this series is a great place to start!

The series will be run again, but you don’t have to wait for it to be scheduled in order to take advantage of the material. Our Python Bites Workshop Series research guide contains videos, session materials, and worksheets designed to help you through the learning process.

Questions? Feel free to reach out to Paige Scudder: paige.n.scudder@dartmouth.edu

This post was written by Paige Scudder, a Research and Education Librarian for the Biomedical Libraries.

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2021 Research Impact Series Wrap-Up

Happy Monday! Today marks the conclusion of our Summer Research Impact Series, thank you all for following along!

We hope these posts and the corresponding research guide have provided helpful tools as we prepare for the fall term. Taking ownership of your scholarly work by creating an ORCID ID, claiming your online profiles, and managing your online presence is vitally important regardless of where you are in your career.

The library is here to be used by every member of the Dartmouth community, and we love to help with all of your research and education needs. Please don’t hesitate to reach out or make an appointment with us. We also have experts in the area of Open Educational Resources and questions about copyright.

Enjoy the last few weeks of summer and take a few minutes to make sure your online scholarly presence is ready for fall.

This post was written by Emily Boyd, a STEM Research and Education Librarian for the Dartmouth College Library.

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2021 Research Impact Series: Challenge Five

This week we’re talking about two very important topics, Open Educational Resources (OER) and Copyright.

Rising textbook prices is just one reason Open Education Resources are growing in popularity. Scholarly Publishing Librarian Stephen Krueger is available to help with specific questions for upcoming courses. Please see some additional details below and on the OER Research Guide.

Copyright is another important topic to keep in mind both when publishing your own scholarly work and when preparing materials to use for your courses. Shawn Martin, Head of Scholarly Communication, Copyright, and Publishing, can be very helpful here. Check out the Scholarly Communication, Copyright, and Publishing home page for contact information and additional details.

Learn more on the Research Impact Summer Series Research Guide.

Questions? Feel free to pop into Emily Boyd’s office hours in the Virtual Couch Lounge on Thursdays between 10-11 am.

This post was written by Emily Boyd, a STEM Research and Education Librarian for the Dartmouth College Library.

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