How Clinical Experience May Enhance Liaison Success

jennifer DeBerg, University of Iowa

Abstract

How Clinical Experience may Enhance Liaison Success

Occupational Therapist to Clinical Education Librarian

This case study aims to provide a description of the specific ways that previous experience in a medical profession may lend value in the establishment of liasion relationships with academic and clinical professionals. Three examples of how I have been able to capitalize on past professional experiences over the past year will be presented: 1. involvement with nursing groups and educational endeavors at the hospital to increase evidence-based project and policy development. 2. Outreach efforts, in conjunction with the Hardin Library Simulation Lab and Hardin Library staff, to stimulate interest in health sciences professions to youth in the state of Iowa. 3. Improvement of a program in collaboration with the Family Medicine Department inpatient staff for supporting clinical question formation and development of search expertise. Through this poster, I will share my insight with other professionals about how past medical professional experience may be utilized to launch a second career as a medical librarian. I will also highlight obstacles that previous clinical experience may present, and emphasize that a health sciences background is no substitute for mentoring and training. By presenting this project I hope to take my initial step to connect with medical librarians with experience in health sciences professions, begin to appreciate their contributions, and maybe even enhance my own.