Growing Together: Scaffolding Systematic Review Training for Early Career Health Sciences Librarians

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33178/hslj.2.1.7

Keywords:

Systematic reviews, scoping reviews, review services, training, early career librarians, health science librarians, scaffolded training

Abstract

This article describes a scaffolded training model developed to prepare early-career health sciences librarians to provide systematic and scoping review services. Two librarians, one in their first year and one in their second year of professional practice, participated in a one-year training process prior to joining the library review services team. The model combined formal external specialization activities, including online courses and webinars, with an internal mentoring framework emphasizing supervised practice searches, consultation observations, and feedback from colleagues. Progression through the scaffold was individualized and based on demonstrated competencies. By the conclusion of the training period, both librarians reported increased confidence in conducting review consultations, refining research questions, and developing complex search strategies. Formalizing similar models may support sustainable review services and workforce development in academic health sciences libraries. 

 

 

Author Biographies

  • Bryn Murphy, Vanderbilt University

    Bryn Murphy, Annette and Irwin Eskind Family Biomedical Library and Learning Centre, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

  • Emily C. Adydan, Vanderbilt University

    Emily C. Adydan, Annette and Irwin Eskind Family Biomedical Library and Learning Centre, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA

References

Gallagher Ford, L., & Melnyk, B. M. (2019). The underappreciated and misunderstood PICOT question: A critical step in the EBP process. Worldviews on evidence-based nursing, 16(6), 422–423. https://doi.org/10.1111/wvn.12408

Higgins, J. P. T., Thomas, J., Chandler, J., Cumpston, M., Li, T., & Page, M. J. (Eds.). (2024). Cochrane handbook for systematic reviews of interventions (Version 6.5, updated August 2024). Cochrane. https://www.cochrane.org/handbook

Kogut, A., Ramirez, D., & Foster, M. J. (2022). Systematic review training model for education librarians: A case study. The New Review of Academic Librarianship, 28(2), 205–226. https://doi.org/10.1080/13614533.2020.1784761

McGowan, J., Sampson, M., Salzwedel, D. M., Cogo, E., Foerster, V., & Lefebvre, C. (2016). PRESS peer review of electronic search strategies: 2015 guideline statement. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology, 75, 40–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclinepi.2016.01.021

Medical Library Association. (n.d.). Systematic Review Services Specialization. https://www.mlanet.org/professional-development/specializations/systematic-review-services-specialization/

Parker, R. M. N., Boulos, L., Visintini, S., Ritchie, K., & Hayden, J. (2018). Environmental scan and evaluation of best practices for online systematic review resources. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 106(2), 208–218. https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2018.241

Roth, S.C. (2018). Transforming the systematic review service: a team-based model to support the educational needs of researchers. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 106(4), 514–520. https://doi.org/10.5195/jmla.2018.430

Downloads

Published

03-06-2026

Issue

Section

Practice-based articles

How to Cite

Murphy, B., & Adydan, E. C. (2026). Growing Together: Scaffolding Systematic Review Training for Early Career Health Sciences Librarians. Health Sciences Libraries Journal, 2(1), 44-50. https://doi.org/10.33178/hslj.2.1.7

Similar Articles

21-21 of 21

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.