Learning to use learning resources during medical school and residency
Marianna B. Shershneva, Henry B. Slotnick, and George C. Mejicano
J Med Libr Assoc. 2005 April; 93(2): 263–270.

Interesting article on how medical students and residents learn to use the resources they use during their medical education and practice. This study discovered that the participants Learned to use learning resources occurs while they sought to address instructional and clinical problems that physicians-in-training encounter. The natural history of learning to use learning resources must be recognized librarians and medical teachers. Specific recommendations are provided for librarians and medical teachers to facilitate the learning process.

While reading this article I was amazed at how little presence the library played in the actual participants learning of resources. It appeared that most participants learned how to use resources through trial and error and from their peers. As the article suggest this leads to huge implications in the way we teach the use of library resources.

Another article worth looking at is in the same issue of the Journal of Medical Library Association.

Information-seeking behavior of nursing students and clinical nurses: implications for health sciences librarians
Cheryl Dee and Ellen E. Stanley
J Med Libr Assoc. 2005 April; 93(2): 213–222.

Obviously this is from the nursing perspective, but again nursing students and clinical nurses were most likely to rely on peers and books for medical information. In addtion to books and peers they frequently used personal digital assistants, electronic journals and books, and drug representatives.

Wow it seems the whole medical profession needs help, we have our work cut out for us don't we.