The third cohort of students enrolled in Pitt’s online Certificate of Advanced Study in Health Sciences Librarianship (HealthCAS), visited HSLS for an orientation to the course and the University. The students came from Illinois, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia.
HealthCAS students, faculty, and the project team came together for a 2.5 day program in June. In the cohort model, students share professional experiences, learn from each other, and form a network of peers to turn to throughout their careers. The onsite visit gives them and the faculty the chance to connect on a more personal level. This is significant in HealthCAS as students are required to collaborate on several online group projects during the year.
The HealthCAS orientation included an overview of the program, the curriculum and objectives, a meeting with instructor teams, and an explanation of policy and procedures at Pitt, with an emphasis on academic integrity in writing. Reviews of good research and writing practices were also included, as well as a presentation by faculty from the Schools of Medicine and Pharmacy that introduced students to the importance of interprofessional education.
Though the schedule was full, there was also time for fun. A visit to the Nationality Rooms at the Cathedral of Learning gave the students a taste of Pitt’s rich history and its international connections. On a beautiful Pittsburgh day, students “quacked” on the Just Ducky Tour, had dinner at the Hard Rock Café at Station Square, and rode the Monongahela Incline to the top of Mount Washington to enjoy the spectacular Pittsburgh skyline.
HealthCAS is funded by a three-year grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to Pitt’s iSchool and HSLS. The grant was extended to a fourth year to include the 2012-13 academic year. The program consists of three semesters of coursework. Each semester covers one four-credit course: (1) Libraries in Health Care Environments, (2) Collections and Resources in Health Care Environments, and (3) Reference Services and Instruction in Health Care Environments. The three-credit Independent Research Project spans all three semesters. HSLS faculty librarians develop and teach the curriculum.
Further information about HealthCAS is available from the iSchool or HSLS.
~ Ester Saghafi