Introduction	Duke University School of Medicine
Why a Dual MD/MSLS or MD/MSIS?	Research Focus
UNC School of Information and Library Science

Introduction

Medical students in the Duke University School of Medicine may choose to pursue master of science of library science (MSLS) and information science (MSIS) degrees at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) during the scholarly year (the third year) of their medical school curriculum. The medical students will apply for acceptance to the School of Information and Library Science (SILS), and the UNC Graduate School, and if admitted, will pursue the MSLS or MSIS degree over the next two years. Students will be expected to fully meet the SILS criteria for earning a degree in library science and information science.

The medical students will also be expected to follow the School of Medicine's registration procedures for the scholarly years and meet all criteria required by the Third Year Committee, including the submission of a thesis that meets Duke's requirements.

Why a Dual MD/MSLS or MD/MSIS?

Delivery of accurate, timely and relevant clinical and research information at the point of care and decision-making is becoming more and more critical. Health professionals have less and less time to access and analyze information. On the other hand, the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) report "Crossing the Quality Chasm" has underscored the need for evidence-based information in the reduction of errors and the delivery of quality care. The same report identifies the need for faster translation of research results into actionable information for clinical care. IOM and the National Health Information Infrastructure have both identified the need for more training of clinicians in informatics skills and knowledge.

The selection of information resources to support clinical care is now more complex. The number of full-text and specialized resources has grown exponentially. In addition, health professionals are demanding pre-filtered information as opposed to long lists of journal citations. While library training teaches general selection and evaluation skills, more advanced training may be needed to determine the best evidence and most relevant resources in a clinical setting. Davidoff and Florance (Annals of Internal Medicine 132(12):996-8, 2000 June) raised many of these issues when they proposed the concept of the “informationist,” someone who possesses both clinical knowledge and information retrieval skills and expertise.

The proposed dual-degree program would allow students interested in information management, information technology, and the development of evidence-based resources to further explore the role of information in the clinical setting. Through the dual-degree program, students would be able to integrate their clinical knowledge with the information skills and concepts found in the library and information sciences studies curricula. In the future these medical informationists or information specialists will be able to contribute to the development and selection of high quality information that is relevant to the clinical setting and patient care.

UNC School of Information and Library Science

The School of Information and Library Science was rated as the number one library school in the US News & World Report's rankings of graduate programs. The school's curriculum has a strong reputation in the library field of providing excellent academic preparation of students including the integration of technology and the coverage of cutting edge issues throughout the program. The faculty is also known for their research and includes several faculty members who have conducted research in the areas of health sciences and patient information. Most recently the school has hired new faculty that will expand this interest in the health sciences, and programs on evidence-based medicine, health sciences librarianship, biomedical informatics, and other health-related topics have been added to the curriculum.

The educational objectives of their masters level program are to prepare professional librarians and information scientists who can:

• Identify needs, and plan, administer, and evaluate information services, systems, and programs for given user groups
• Exhibit a knowledge of current research in the field and the ability to examine it critically and to apply the results to professional duties
• Use basic research methodologies to carry out research projects relevant to professional duties and professional growth
• Examine with constructive criticism both traditional and innovative methods to meet the needs of the present and to plan for the future
• Apply the general principles that underlie specific professional information and library services to problems presented by:
  (a) Various types of agencies, including public, nonprofit and corporate organizations, libraries, and information centers and the diverse populations served by these agencies
  (b) Differing functions, including administrative, technical, and public service
• Recognize and apply the appropriate contributions of other disciplines and professions to information and library science
• Demonstrate a professional attitude toward his/her career, including a concern for the ethical issues involved and a commitment to individual professional development and continuing education

The master of science in library science degree is designed to educate students for work involving the collection, organization, storage, and retrieval of recorded knowledge for a variety of individuals and groups. Analysis and design skills are emphasized.

Master of Science in Library Science (MSLS)

The curriculum of the master of science in library science is designed around five functional areas: organization, collection and retrieval, information-related behavior, design and evaluation, and management. Elective courses build upon the required courses in each of these areas. The remainder of the 48 semester hours of graduate course work will draw from the school's course offerings, and as appropriate, from related subject fields including advanced research courses and specialized study and seminar tracks. Since a research project is the capstone of the 3rd year Duke Medical School curriculum (see below), this should be kept in mind when choosing electives and a research topic. Students may pursue research and services within a type of library setting, such as academic health sciences librarianship, or pursue concepts and theories behind information systems and services. Students generally develop an area of concentration and select a number of advanced courses in that area. All course work will be reviewed and approved by the student's faculty advisor.

Master of Science in Information Science (MSIS)

The master of science in information science program is designed to prepare students to contribute to the design, development, and maintenance of information systems and networks; to provide leadership in the development of new technologies and new applications relating to the delivery of information to users; and to demonstrate a theoretical knowledge of information science, including the theory of information storage and retrieval, systems science, and social, political, and ethical implications of information systems.

Within this degree, students may develop their own specializations through their choice of courses. Four examples of possible specializations are human information behavior, database and information retrieval systems, networking and Internet technologies, and management of information systems. This degree program is intended to prepare students for careers focusing on the design, implementation, evaluation, and administration of a wide variety of information systems including databases, networks, multimedia, the World Wide Web, instructional technologies, and other emerging technologies.

Duke University School of Medicine

Duke University's School of Medicine (SOM) is one of the top ranked medical schools in the United States. In addition to providing a general medical education for physicians, SOM's goals are to prepare leaders and scholars in the field of medicine.

The School of Medicine offers a unique curriculum that supports the pursuit of scholarly research experiences and the attainment of other degrees during its third year. Unlike other medical schools, Duke medical students complete the pre-clinical sciences in one year instead of two and begin clinical rotations in their second year. The third-year is then spent in further academic pursuit through a research experience or another degree program. The “third-year” can accommodate degree programs requiring two or more years to complete. At the end of the scholarly experience or completion of the approved degree program, the students complete their fourth year of clinical experiences within the medical school.

In addition to attracting some of the brightest students into medicine, the School of Medicine has a diverse student population with a wide range of interests. Students are attracted to the program due to the opportunity to explore research or pursue an additional degree during their time at Duke.

Duke University, through its medical center and health systems, offers students a unique opportunity to work in a fast-paced clinical environment where the access to and the retrieval and analysis of patient data and knowledge-based information are crucial. As part of their normal clinical educational experiences, students are exposed to and must interact with a wide-variety of computer systems and information resources. The focus on evidence-based practice further underscores the importance of access to traditional library materials as well as patient data. This information and systems rich environment provides an excellent laboratory for MD/MSLS and MD/MSIS students when studying information management and delivery in a health care setting.

Research Focus

The School of Medicine's third year is designed to expose students to the research process. In addition to pursuing a degree, students in a dual-degree program are expected to complete research related courses. The research courses prepare students for the development of a research proposal and submission of a master's thesis, which are required for completion of the third year of medical school and the Duke MD degree.

UNC SILS does require the completion of a basic research course for both the MSLS and MSIS degrees. Duke medical students should enroll in other research courses offered by SILS, such as the advanced research methods class, as well as courses that contain a research emphasis or focus within a specific subject matter or area of study. This program provides the opportunity to define and begin a research project in year one in parallel with initial courses, followed by electives and further research in year two. The integration of research through both years is a strength of this dual-degree program.