Volume 28, Issue 3 (12-2025)                   jha 2025, 28(3): 88-104 | Back to browse issues page


XML Persian Abstract Print


Download citation:
BibTeX | RIS | EndNote | Medlars | ProCite | Reference Manager | RefWorks
Send citation to:

Zare- Farashbandi F, Daei A, Ghasemi A H, Nemati-Anaraki L, Panahi S, Shekofteh M, et al . Required Roles and Skills for Master's Degree Graduates in Medical Library and Information Science: A Qualitative StudyAbstract. jha 2025; 28 (3) :88-104
URL: http://jha.iums.ac.ir/article-1-4608-en.html
1- Health Information Technology Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
2- Department of Medical Library and Information Sciences, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
3- Department of Medical Library & Information Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran.
4- Health Management and Economics Research Center, Health Management Research Institute, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
5- Department of Medical Library & Information Sciences, School of Management and Information Sciences, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
6- Department of Medical Library and Information Science, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
7- Department of Medical Library and Information Science, Faculty of Paramedicine, Bushehr University of Medical Sciences, Bushehr, Iran.
8- Department of Medical Library & Information Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran. , Hashemian-mr@ajums.ac.ir
Abstract:   (130 Views)
Introduction: Medical librarians must develop continuously evolving competencies and skills through up-to-date training programs to keep pace with emerging trends and technological advancements. This study aimed to identify the essential roles and skills required for Master's level graduates in Medical Library and Information Science in Iran.
Methods: This qualitative study employed a conventional content analysis. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants (n=35), including faculty members, administrators, policymakers, graduates, and current Master's and doctoral students in Medical Library and Information Science. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews and analyzed using MAXQDA software and conventional qualitative content analysis.
Results: Data analysis revealed four main roles—research, executive-managerial, educational, and health technology and information roles—comprising 36 sub-roles. Additionally, five key skill domains were identified: research, general, educational, executive-managerial, and health information technology related skills, encompassing 17 sub-skills.
Conclusion: The identified skills can inform policymakers and curriculum designers in developing or revising Master's programs in Medical Library and Information Science to ensure responsive education. Furthermore, the roles outlined in this study may guide career engineering planners in defining organizational positions, job descriptions, and professional requirements for medical librarians and information specialists.
Full-Text [PDF 1108 kb]   (120 Downloads) |   |   Full-Text (HTML)  (23 Views)  
Type of Study: Research | Subject: Medical Librarianship and Information Science
Received: 2025/08/27 | Accepted: 2025/12/9 | Published: 2025/12/20

References
1. Lawton A, Burns J. A review of competencies needed for health librarians-a comparison of Irish and international practice. Health Information & Libraries Journal. 2015;32(2):84-94. doi: [DOI:10.1111/hir.12093]
2. Murphy J. Global trends health science libraries: part 2. Health Information & Libraries Journal. 2022;39(1):82-90. doi: [DOI:10.1111/hir.12415]
3. Scherrer CS, Jacobson S. New measures for new roles: defining and measuring the current practices of health sciences librarians. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 2002;90(2):164-72. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC100761/
4. Wood S. Health Sciences Librarianship [internet]. Chicago: Rowman & Littlefield and the Medical Library Association, 2014. Chapter 16. New roles and new horizons for health sciences librarians and libraries; p. 405-20. Available from: http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/libraries_pubs/22
5. Ma J, Stahl L, Knotts E. Emerging roles of health information professionals for library and information science curriculum development: a scoping review. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 2018;106(4):432-44. doi: [DOI:10.5195/jmla.2018.354]
6. Medical Library association. MLA competencies for lifelong learning and professional success. Baltimore: University of Maryland, 2017. no. HHS-N-276-2011-00004-C. Available from: https://www.mlanet.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/MLA-Professional-Competencies-2017-Full-Report.pdf
7. Ullah M, Anwar MA. Developing competencies for medical librarians in Pakistan. Health Information & Libraries Journal. 2013;30(1):59-71. doi: [DOI:10.1111/hir.12008]
8. Cooper ID, Crum JA. New activities and changing roles of health sciences librarians: a systematic review. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 2013;101(4):268-77. doi: [DOI:10.3163/1536-5050.101.4.008]
9. Hashemian M, Zare-Farashbandi F, Rahimi A, Yamani N, Adibi P. Medical library and information sciences educational barriers: a qualitative study. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science. 2022;64(1):71-88. [In Persian] doi: [DOI:10.3138/jelis-2021-0060]
10. Daei A, Rahimi A, Zare-Farashbandi F. Differences and similarities of the bachelor curriculum of medical library and information science with similar curriculums in Iran: a comparative study. Journal of Health Administration. 2016;19(66):31-46. [In Persian] Available from: https://jha.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_id=2088&sid=1&slc_lang=en
11. Ashrafi Rizi H, Hodhodinezhad N, Shahrzadi L, Soleymani M. A study on the novel services of medical librarians in health information services: a narrative review. Health Information Management. 2017;13(6):438-44. [In Persian] Available from: https://him.mui.ac.ir/article_11550_en.html?lang=fa
12. Kleinheksel AJ, Rockich-Winston N, Tawfik H, Wyatt TR. Demystifying content analysis. American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 2020 1;84(1):7113. doi: [DOI:10.5688/ajpe7113]
13. Azungah T. Qualitative research: deductive and inductive approaches to data analysis. Qualitative Research Journal. 2018; 15;18(4):383-400. doi: [DOI:10.1108/QRJ-D-18-00035]
14. Houser J, Oja K. Nursing research: reading, using, and creating evidence with navigate advantage access. Sudbury : Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2025.
15. Creswell JW, Clark VLP. Designing and conducting mixed methods research. Calif: Sage publications; 2017.
16. Schmidt NA, Brown JM. Evidence-based practice for nurses: appraisal and application of research with navigate advantage access. Burlington: Jones & Bartlett Learning; 2024.
17. Birt L, Scott S, Cavers D, Campbell C, Walter F. Member checking: a tool to enhance trustworthiness or merely a nod to validation? Qualitative Health Research. 2016; 26(13):1802-11. doi: [DOI:10.1177/1049732316654870]
18. Plutchak TS. Breaking the barriers of time and space: the dawning of the great age of librarians. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 2012;100(1):10. doi: [DOI:10.3163/1536-5050.100.1.004]
19. Saunders L, College S. Core and more: examining foundational and specialized content in library and information science. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science. 2019;60(1):3-34. doi: [DOI:10.3138/jelis.60.1.2018-0034]
20. Cox, A.M., Kennan, M.A., Lyon, L. and Pinfield, S. Developments in research data management in academic libraries: towards an understanding of research data service maturity. Journal of the Association for Information Science and Technology. 2017; 68(9): 2182-200. doi: [DOI:10.1002/asi.23781]
21. Reed JB, Carroll AJ. Roles for health sciences librarians at college and university libraries. Issues in Science and Technology Librarianship. 2020; 28(94). doi: [DOI:10.29173/istl42]
22. Torkaman T., Madadian F. Investigating the role of research librarians in providing information resources for nursing and midwifery students' research projects at Hamadan university of medical sciences. Scientometrics. 2018;11(42):59-70. [In Persian] Available from: https://sanad.iau.ir/journal/qje/Article/675872?jid=675872&lang=en
23. Okhovati M, Bazrafshan A. The role of medical librarians and information professionals in medical research: a comparison of researchers' and librarians' perspectives. Library and Information Science. 2007;11(3):57-70. [In Persian] Available from: https://lis.aqr-libjournal.ir/article_43725.html
24. Bradley-Ridout G, Parker R, Sikora L, Quaiattini A, Fuller K, Nevison M, Nekolaichuk E. Exploring librarians' practices when teaching advanced searching for knowledge synthesis: results from an online survey. Journal of the Medical Library Association. 2024; 29;112(3):238-49. doi: [DOI:10.5195/jmla.2024.1870]
25. Koh K, Abbas J. Competencies for information professionals in learning labs and makerspaces. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science. 2015;56(2):114-29. doi: [DOI:10.3138/jelis.56.2.114]
26. Ma J, Stahl L, Price C. Developing specialized graduate curricula for health information professionals: integrated findings of a scoping review and an employer survey. Journal of Education for Library and Information Science. 2020; 61(1):64-86. doi: [DOI:10.3138/jelis.61.1.2018-0066]
27. Turner J. Instructional design: Skills to benefit the library profession. portal: Libraries and the Academy. 2016;16(3):477-89. doi: [DOI:10.1353/pla.2016.0041]
28. Sheikhshoaei F, Zolfaghari M, Mansourzadeh M J, Ghazi Mirsaeid S J. Designing a proposed educational program for clinical librarian. Journal of Health Administration. 2019; 22 (4) :22-34. [In Persian] Available from: http://jha.iums.ac.ir/article-1-3027-fa.html

Add your comments about this article : Your username or Email:
CAPTCHA

Send email to the article author


Rights and permissions
Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

© 2026 CC BY-NC 4.0 | Journal of Health Administration

Designed & Developed by : Yektaweb