An Elective Course in Information Mastery

Objective. To design and implement an elective course in information mastery and assess its impact on students' ability to identify information needs and formulate clinically relevant, evidence-based answers. Design. A semester-long (15-week) elective course was offered to third-year (P3) doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) students that outlined the necessary knowledge and skills for using information mastery in evidence-based practice. Assessment. Results of a pre- and postcourse survey instrument demonstrated an increase in students' knowledge of information mastery and confidence in and familiarity with the practice of evidence-based medicine in pharmacy. Students who had completed the elective were able to provide higher quality search strategies and evidence-based answers to a clinical question than other P3 students, and P4 students who did not participate in the elective. Conclusion. An elective course in information mastery improved students' knowledge and understanding of information mastery as it pertains to practicing evidence-based medicine.