Designing a DREAM Database and Delivering TIME Competency Measures: Library Faculty Integration in Medical Education Assessment

Abstract

Purpose: This paper describes librarian roles as full partners in creating a database of health sciences education assessment instruments (DREAM) and locating instruments to measure medical student milestones for the Transformation in Medical Education (TIME) initiative to design a competency based medical education curriculum. Setting/Participants: A research university with an academic health sciences center and undergraduate liberal arts and sciences campus. Librarians partnered with faculty in the institution’s Educational Innovation Institute to develop the DREAM database and serve as members of the TIME project consultation team. Methods: Library faculty tailored PubMed searches for assessment instruments linked to ACGME competencies. Librarians and research faculty determined that a public searchable database of free, validated, and peer- reviewed assessment tools would fill an existing information gap. The DREAM database was presented at the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Annual Meeting and is now hosted on MedEdPORTAL at the AAMC website. Lead faculty members of the TIME project then contacted the DREAM team to request consultation on identifying assessment instruments. Librarians will complete assessment searching based around 12 main competency areas with over 100 student achievement milestones. Results: Library faculty developed assessment filters for MEDLINE and CINAHL and adapted them as needed for competency search processes. The next phase was developing the database taxonomy from existing controlled vocabulary resources. Library faculty assisted in creating peer review forms and determining database record format. Identifying TIME competency assessment tools required developing over 60 comprehensive searches focusing on specific student behaviors. Intensive searching of health sciences databases has led librarians to develop a better grasp of medical education and assessment terminology and article indexing. Conclusions: DREAM is scheduled for a fall launch; TIME reports will be completed during the winter of 2013. The DREAM team will monitor the database and library faculty will design search strategies to identify additional assessment instruments. Library faculty can be fully integrated in research and assessment initiatives. Collaboration with EII faculty has brought librarians additional referrals and provided opportunities to assist in projects benefiting the library, university and our own careers.