CRITIQUE ON THE USE OF ONLINE AND DIGITAL MEDIA

Title of Article: Use of CD-ROM MEDLINE by Medical Students of the College of Medicine, University of Lagos, Nigeria
Title of Journal: Journal of Medical Internet Research vol. 5 no. 1,2003. e7
Authors: Ogunyadi, Taiwo O. and Willington A. Oyibo
URL: http://www.jmir.org/2003/1/e7/HTML

This article was a study on the use of MEDLINE on CD-ROM by the medical students of the College of Medicine; University of Lagos, Nigeria and was conducted between June-September 2002. The participants who were randomly selected were the second to six year medical students enrolled for the Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery. These students have already attended training in the use of library including using the MEDLINE during a one week orientation program when they entered the university.

Result of the study showed that out of the 340 questionnaires only 250 were duly completed. Of the 250 students interviewed, 130 were aware of MEDLINE on CD-ROM searches as a means of information retrieval. Only 60 had use MEDLINE on CD-ROM search and the purpose is for preparing the examinations, research, patient care, and in preparation of assignment and clinical cases. Lack of awareness and cost of undertaking MEDLINE on CD-ROM search were identified as important factors that discouraged the use of MEDLINE on CD-ROM.

To conclude poor use of MEDLINE on CD-ROM. could be attributed to the following factor: non availability of networked personal computers, which should be connected to the central server; lack of mandatory assignments to the medical students that would specifically require use of MEDLINE on CD-ROM; financial constraints on the university management; and infrequent periodic orientation on use of MEDLINE on CD-ROM... It was therefore suggested that the number of personal computers should be increased and that the library staff should periodically train the preclinical and clinical medical students in searching MEDLINE on CD-ROM. These steps would enable the medical students to benefit from the online Pub Med searching when it becomes fully operational in the future.

Its six years already when the study was conducted and the participants must have graduated and some of them are on their residency and fellowship by now. Hopefully the financial constraints of the university were over and they are enjoying now searching online databases apart from their own online subscriptions.