(via Barry Grant, Medical Library Association)
Are you a library professional interested in learning to do research? Are you excited at the prospect of being part of an intensive and collaborative program that takes you through a process of learning research design and completing a health information research project? The Medical Library Association (MLA) Research Training Institute for Health Sciences Librarians (RTI) was designed for you! We are accepting applications from October 6 to December 8, 2017, for our 2018 cohort of RTI Fellows. Please follow links to the application instructions and the online application form.
RTI 2018 offers an intensive residential experience led by expert faculty that includes curriculum tailored to participants’ interests and skills, small-group sessions, and individual consultations with faculty. The program is designed to transform library professionals with novice or intermediate research skill levels into researchers able to conduct independently or lead a quality research project. RTI training covers all the stages of designing, implementing, and communicating a successful health information research project. Participants will be able to develop effective research questions, select a research design, identify the components of a research project, collect and manage high quality data, publish and present the results of a research project, and much more.
How will the RTI help participants in their careers? They will acquire a new, marketable set of skills; gain confidence in discussing research and scholarship with teaching faculty and researchers at their institutions; and implement research ideas that transform their libraries and raise their professional profiles. At the same time, participants will develop the capability to publish in peer-reviewed journals, while joining a network of researchers who can help them in making their next step.
The heart of the Institute is a week-long residential immersive workshop held in Chicago, from July 9 to 13, 2018. Pre-Institute learning activities, individual mentoring, a year of post-Institute support, and membership in an ongoing research community of practice supplement the residential component. Institute training is designed for library professionals with novice or intermediate research skills and experience, or who have a strong interest in research but do not possess the skills and
confidence to conduct research on their own. MLA membership is not required.
Admission is competitive. Only 20 applicants will be selected. See the above links for eligibility requirements and selection criteria. We will be accepting applications from October 6 to December 8, 2017. Applicants accepted to the Institute will be notified in March, 2018. For detailed information about the project, including fees, benefits, and housing information, see the RTI website.