Fact Sheet
Opportunities for Training and Education Sponsored by the National Library of Medicine
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) supports a variety of education and training opportunities for health professionals. For more information, please contact the person or office listed.
- Medical Informatics
- Online Searching - Training for Librarians and Information Specialists
- Library/Information Science Training
Medical Informatics
University-based Training Programs: The National Library of Medicine supports research training in biomedical informatics at selected educational institutions in the United States. These programs offer graduate education and postdoctoral research experiences in a wide range of areas including: health care informatics, translational bioinformatics, clinical research informatics, and public health informatics. Many programs also offer additional tracks in areas such as imaging and dental informatics. The organizations funded to do this training are responsible for the selection of trainees; questions about eligibility, program specifics, and levels of support should be addressed to the programs themselves. The location and contact information for these training programs are provided at http://www.nlm.nih.gov/ep/GrantTrainInstitute.html.
Biotechnology: For recent doctoral graduates, the National Research Council Research Associateship Program provides an opportunity for concentrated research in association with selected members of the NCBI scientific staff. Details, contact David Lipman, M.D., NCBI, NLM (301-496-2475).
Woods Hole: The Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole, MA, conducts an NLM sponsored one-week course in Medical Informatics yearly. Thirty trainees are selected from applicants in health professions, research, and librarianship. They receive intensive hands-on experience with a variety of medical information systems, including medical informatics, expert systems, and molecular biology databases. Trainees have most costs covered. Details, contact: Ms. Catherine N. Norton, Dir., Info. Systems, Marine Biological Lab, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (508-548-3705 x341).
HBCU Toxicology Information Outreach: NLM's Toxicology Information Program (TIP) supports projects designed to strengthen the capacity of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to train medical and other health professionals in the use of toxicological, environmental, occupational and hazardous wastes information resources developed at NLM. A number of HBCUs with schools of medicine, pharmacy and nursing are participating in the program which includes training and free access to NLM's databases. Details, contact Gale Dutcher, TIP, NLM (301-496-3147).
Medical Informatics Elective: The Computer Science Branch, LHNCBC, conducts an eight-week elective in Medical Informatics, as part of NIH's Clinical Electives Program. Each spring this elective combines an extensive seminar series by senior figures in the field with an independent research project under the preceptorship of an NIH professional. Eight to fourteen fourth-year medical students are admitted each year. Details, contact May Cheh, LHNCBC (301-435-3193).
Medical Informatics Training Program: LHNCBC conducts a Medical Informatics Training Program to provide support for faculty members, postdoctoral scientists, graduate students, undergraduate students for research participation at the Center for visits of a few months to several years. Details, contact May Cheh, LHNCBC (301-435-3193).
Online Searching - Training for Librarians and Information Specialists
Web-Based Training:
The PubMed Tutorial: The self-paced, interactive PubMed Tutorial is useful to the casual, first-time, PubMed searcher as well as to the more experienced PubMed searcher. You can also reach the tutorial by clicking "Tutorials" from the PubMed sidebar.
Quick Tours: These brief animated tutorials with audio narration illustrate specific features of selected NLM products.
For additional Web-based training products, see the Distance Education Resources page.
NLM Training: PubMed
This full-day class is designed to teach students how to use PubMed. It also includes an overview of the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH®) and its importance as a tool to both searchers and indexers. PubMed provides access to MEDLINE® citations back to 1950. This class is for U.S. domestic searchers. There are no fees for training but students must cover their own travel and lodging. Classes are held throughout the United States. The training schedule and other details are available from the National Training Center and Clearinghouse at 1-800-338-7657 (press 2).
NLM Training: NLM Gateway & ClinicalTrials.gov
This half-day class is designed to teach students how to use the NLM Gateway, a Web-based system that allows users to search simultaneously in multiple NLM retrieval systems. This class also includes a discussion and demonstration of ClinicalTrials.gov. This class is for U.S. domestic searchers. There are no fees for training but students must cover their own travel and lodging. Classes are held throughout the United States. The training schedule and other details are available from the National Training Center and Clearinghouse Clearinghouse at 1-800-338-7657 (press 2).
NLM Training: TOXNET
This full-day class is designed to convey the basics of searching the NLM's TOXNET, a web-based system of databases in the areas of toxicology, environmental health, and related subjects. Students learn the content and structure of files covering toxicology data, toxicology literature, toxic releases, and chemical searching and nomenclature. Among the databases highlighted are TOXLINE®, the Hazardous Substances Data Bank, the Integrated Risk Information System, the Toxic Release Inventory, and ChemIDplus. This class is for U.S. domestic searchers. There are no fees for training but students must cover their own travel and lodging. Classes are held throughout the United States. The training schedule and other details are available from the National Training Center and Clearinghouse at 1-800-338-7657 (press 2).
UMLS® Basics
This 8-hour, hands-on course introduces NLM's Unified Medical Language System® (UMLS®): what it is and how it is used. Students gain an understanding of the 3 main components, or knowledge sources: the Metathesaurus, the Semantic Network, and the SPECIALIST Lexicon--what these are and how these and related tools are used in a variety of biomedical applications and research. A broad overview of the 100-plus source vocabularies contained in the Metathesaurus is provided. Criteria for assessing the usefulness of specific controlled vocabularies for clinical, research, and educational purposes are discussed. The online UMLS® Knowledge Source Server (UMLSKS) is used to access UMLS® data throughout the class. Hands-on exercises allow students to practice basic and advanced searching skills. Some experience is provided with software called MetamorphoSys and how it can be applied to produce customized local versions of the Metathesaurus useful for particular applications. The audience are those medical librarians interested in medical informatics who desire an introduction to the UMLS® and an understanding of the issues and practical considerations involved in selecting and using appropriate controlled vocabularies for a range of biomedical applications. This class is for U.S. domestic searchers. There are no fees for training but students must cover their own travel and lodging. Classes are held only at The National Library of Medicine, Bethesda, Maryland. The training schedule and other details are available from the National Training Center and Clearinghouse Clearinghouse at 1-800-338-7657 (press 2).
Library/Information Science Training
Library Associate Program: Each year NLM offers up to eight one-year postgraduate training fellowships to recent graduates of an ALA-accredited library school. Fellows spend a year at NLM training for future leadership positions in medical librarianship. Associate Fellows are offered an optional second year at another health sciences library or information center. For an application and details see the Program web page: http://www.nlm.nih.gov/about/training/associate/index.html or contact: Associate Fellowship Program.
Indexing: NLM periodically offers a two-week training program for those preparing to index biomedical journals for MEDLARS®. Trainees are chosen from NLM staff, those who work for NLM's contractors, and those who will become indexers at non-U.S. MEDLARS Centers. Training is followed by an extensive apprenticeship in indexing under guidance of senior indexers. More information: Head, Index Section, Bibliographic Services Division, NLM (301-496-3261).
