Curation of Health Information: Diving out of my Comfort Zone

As a graduate student who has not been in school for over 10 years, I have realized that my strategies for searching for health information are rather outdated. As a healthcare professional working in the hospital setting, I tend to utilize the hospital library website or email the librarian to help me with an extensive search on any given topic. If I want to dive deeper on a specific subject, I like to buy or borrow a hard copy book by an expert on the topic, ask a colleague such as a specialist, leader, educator or practice lead, or search on the physiotherapy college website or Physiopedia to look for profession-specific information.

I like having information in my hands, being able to copy, mark up and make handwritten notes on paper. I am someone who regrettably tends to print articles out to read and highlight rather than reading on a screen, and I feel more comfortable reading a book than searching online. I love diving into a proper text book, with a set beginning and end, with finite but reliable teachings contained inside.

It is going to take some real channeled focus and determination for me to learn to search and collect information online rather than on paper. I tend to get overwhelmed by the amount of information available at my fingertips online and I find myself getting lost, clicking link after link, getting further away from the question at hand. It makes me worry that I won’t find my way back and will lose track of the big picture. Through these reflections, I identified the need to develop strategies to be focused and concise with my searching, to avoid spending hours narrowing my focus in certain areas and missing out on other crucial areas completely.

After researching health information curation resources and reading suggestions by my classmates in MHST 601, I initially downloaded the Diigo and Zotera apps. I created a few reading lists but found the apps difficult to navigate and organize and curate resources for my weekly assignments. After seeing some colleagues posting links to their Raindrop accounts, I decided to make the switch. Raindrop allows me to curate reading lists easily under headings and subheadings, and link to them to share with my classmates. I am also using Google Docs to create my draft blog posts and reflections in this course, which is similar to the tried and true Microsoft Word, but allows me to sign on different devices and add thoughts whether I am at work or home, on my phone or laptop.

I have a long way to go before I feel comfortable using these new resources and learning strictly online, but I am motivated by the challenge. I recognize that digital literacy is an area where I have plenty of room to grow and hone my skills, and doing so will open many doors for me in the future.