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Month: September 2021

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In an effort to remain accountable to communities who have been negatively impacted by past and present medical injustices, the staff at Himmelfarb Library is committed to the work of maintaining an anti-discriminatory practice. We will uplift and highlight diverse stories throughout the year, and not shy away from difficult conversations necessary for health sciences education. To help fulfill this mission,  we’re proud to reach out to one of our own Faculty members, Dr. Carlos Rodriguez-Diaz to hear his perspective on the COVID-19 vaccine, and what made his journey to the field of public health truly unique. 

What inspired you to go into public health? How did you first get involved in HIV care and prevention?

I was inspired to pursue a career in public health by a family physician who was by head physician and was the primary health care provider to my family and almost everyone in the small town of Aguas Buenas, Puerto Rico where I was born and raised. Before my senior year in college, I had the opportunity to participate in a Summer Internship Program at the University of Michigan-School of Public Health. I had the opportunity to work with a Latino-serving organization and it was through this experience that I got involved in public health and HIV prevention. Then, I realized the privilege that I had as a young Latino gay man to have access to education and contribute to my community by engaging in public health training, practice, and research. I am now using my privilege to disrupt privileges. 

What brought you to GW?

After nearly a decade working at the University of Puerto Rico-School of Public Health, I felt it was the time to expand my experiences and contribute to public health efforts in Puerto Rico but from a different platform. I also wanted to be more engaged in public health initiatives at US national level. GW’s location in the US capitol was a very attractive, particularly after experiencing at first had how public health efforts in the US are hindered by the lack of representation and the colonial experience of Puerto Rico. Further, GW is an established institution with ample experience conducting research in areas of my interest and expertise. 

What has been the most rewarding aspect of your work?

The opportunity to work with community members to identify public health challenges and address these challenges.  

We see a rise in misinformation with the COVID-19 vaccine. What lessons do you think scientists and medical experts can learn from that? How can scientific research be more transparent and accessible to the public?

We need to listen and to be better communicators. Based on my experience, most of the questions people have about the COVID-19 vaccine are legitimate. People need to be listened to and must receive culturally appropriate information. As scientists, we need to work on our health communications skills. We might be experts in an area of knowledge, but that does not mean that we know how to communicate information to lay populations. We either develop skills to engage with multiple audiences or work with experts who can help us communicate effectively. Further, we should facilitate those scientists from minoritized populations (e.g., Latinos, Black, LGBTQ, Native Americans) to have access to mass media and platforms to reach out to their communities. No one else can speak to a community like a community member.

What are your future research related plans or areas of interest at this time? 

I plan to continue working with community-based organizations and other community leaders to develop strategies to reduce health inequities and health disparities. The beauty of conducting community-based participatory research is that we are constantly focusing on the priorities identified by the community rather than working on a rigid research agenda. I also expect to continue my engagement in research activities related to the Ending the HIV Epidemic. I am collaborating in community-centered projects to address social determinants of HIV in Washington, DC and Puerto Rico. I am also planning to continue to be engaged in COVID-19 related research with Latino populations.

We now have multiple vaccines for COVID and more are in development based on a wide variety of techniques. Do you see this progress as potentially helpful in the development of an HIV vaccine?

Yes. The SARS-CoV-2 vaccine effort organized extraordinary resources and unprecedented global collaborations. The scientific achievements of COVID-19 vaccines are now inspiring a renewed sense of urgency for the HIV vaccine development effort.

What advice, if any, do you have for students just starting out? 

Aim for what you are passionate about. Always be yourself. Never become someone else to achieve your goals. Listen to your mentors and once you achieve your goals, pay it forward. 

On behalf of the Himmelfarb library we would like to extend our thanks to Dr. Rodríguez-Díaz for participating in this interview! 

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Dimensions part of DIGITALscience

There’s a new database in town with the potential to help with publication analysis, grant tracking questions, and more. GW has recently secured an institutional subscription to Dimensions from DigitalScience which was launched in 2018 to compete with Elsevier’s Scopus database. Like Scopus, the Dimensions database allows you to search for information based on researcher and institutional profiles. But unlike Scopus in its current form, Dimensions aims to track the full research lifecycle including not only publications related data, but also information about grants, datasets, patents, and more. Dimensions also includes an “Analytical Views” dashboard designed to help you see information about trends for publication source titles, citations, and funders. 

To access the Dimensions database from off-campus locations, use the VPN so that you can create groups and save dashboards. Next, access the Himmelfarb Library website and click on All Databases. From there, navigate to the link for Dimensions Analytics to get started. Use the “Log in” button in the top right hand corner of the screen to login with your NetID and password (reminder: to login use VPN from off-campus locations). From there, use the left hand navigation filters to search for information about specific researchers, funders, or organizations. 

Like many systems that strive to aggregate vast amounts of data, Dimensions in its current form does have some limitations. Underlying data is at times incomplete and the user interface can be less than intuitive for some functionality. However, Dimensions can still be a valuable tool for creating groups and tracking research trends. Have specific questions or want to learn more about using Dimensions? Check out this Dimensions toolkit or reach out to the Himmelfarb Library. 

Questions? Please contact Sara Hoover (shoover@gwu.edu) or Tom Harrod (tph@gwu.edu)!

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In an effort to remain accountable to communities who have been negatively impacted by past and present medical injustices, the staff at Himmelfarb Library is committed to the work of maintaining an anti-discriminatory practice. We will uplift and highlight diverse stories throughout the year, and not shy away from difficult conversations necessary for health sciences education. To help fulfill this mission, today's blog post honors Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias!

A pediatrician and women and children’s health advocate, Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias deeply believed medical professionals must immerse themselves in the social issues impacting the communities they serve and wove this personal philosophy into her medical and advocacy work. Over the course of her career, she consistently spotlighted issues facing women and children, particularly those that were people of color, poor or disabled.

Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias was born on July 7, 1929 in New York, though she spent the first few years of her life in Puerto Rico with her family. Upon her return to the United States, she faced racial discrimination while attending public school. Despite receiving good grades and her use of English, Dr. Rodriguez Trias was placed in special education classes. She remained in this setting until she recited a poem by heart and her teacher realized Rodriguez Trias was placed in the wrong class.

After completing high school, Dr. Rodriguez-Trias returned to Puerto Rico for college. During her time as a student, she became involved with the island’s independence movement and participated in a school-wide strike against the university’s chancellor, Jaime Rexach Benitez, who prevented the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party leader, Don Pedro Albizu Campos, from speaking on campus. Because of her involvement in the strike, Dr. Rodriguez-Trias was forced to return to New York City when her brother threatened to cut her off financially. She remained in the United States for several years before returning to the University of Puerto Rico, where she eventually graduated with a BA in 1957 and her medical degree in 1960.

Not long into her medical career, Dr. Rodriguez-Trias worked to address a major need within her immediate community. She established a newborn care clinic in the hospital and under her leadership, Puerto Rico experienced a 50% decrease in newborn mortality rates within the first 3 years of the clinic’s establishment. After completing her residency, she opened a pediatric practice in Puerto Rico and remained there until the 1970s.

At the time, Dr. Rodriguez-Trias was married, but divorced her husband before relocating to the United States. She often cited her divorce as a moment that deeply impacted her on a personal and professional level. "A watershed in my life was getting divorced in Puerto Rico....In my formation as a professional, there was always a kind of pressure to deny or not use a lot of your personal experience....But I was now discovering a whole other world out there through my personal experience of a deceptive marriage. That triggered quite a bit of growth in me toward understanding what happens internally to people, what happens in their lives and what they can do or not do...." (U.S. National Library of Medicine)

That experience would influence her for the rest of her career.

During the 1970s, Dr. Rodriguez Trias worked as the head of the pediatrics department at the Lincoln Hospital in the South Bronx. This was a diverse corner of New York with communities from all areas of the globe, including a large Puerto Rican population. During her tenure, Dr. Rodriguez Trias advocated for hospital employees to have a voice in administrative and patient-care issues. She frequently embedded herself in community conversations and encouraged the hospital medical professionals to engage with the community as well, so the medical staff had a better understanding of how outside issues impacted patients’ health.

Around this time, Dr. Rodriguez Trias also became heavily involved in the women’s movement and the women’s health movement, particularly on issues related to abortion access and the reproductive health abuse certain groups of women face. “While many women chose the [sterilization] procedure, health authorities pressured many other--especially working-class and poor women--to agree to it or falsely told them that it was reversible. Similar programs targeted poorer Black women and girls in the American South." ("Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias") To combat these issues, Dr. Rodriguez Trias formed both the Committee to End Sterilization Abuse and the Committee for Abortion Rights and Against Sterilization Abuse. She testified before the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, advocating for the need for and eventually drafting federal guidelines for the reproductive procedure. The new guidelines featured three key components. First, doctors were required to explain the procedure in language that was accessible and easy to understand. Second, patients were required to submit written consent. Lastly, there was a mandatory wait period between the submission of consent and the medical procedure.

Dr. Rodriguez Trias would continue to speak up for women and children and their access to healthcare for the remainder of her career. On January 8, 2001, President Bill Clinton awarded Dr. Rodriguez Trias with the Presidential Citizen’s Award in recognition of her advocacy work for women and children impacted by the HIV/AIDS epidemic. And in 2019, New York City commissioned a statue of Dr. Rodriguez Trias that will be placed near the location where Lincoln Hospital once stood.

Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias' life and career serve as examples for medical professionals who wish to impact their patients' lives outside of the hospital or private practice. She dedicated her time and energy to stand alongside the communities who needed equitable access to care and recognized that many outside factors impacted a person's level of health.

To learn more about Dr. Helen Rodriguez Trias, please explore Himmelfarb's catalogue which features articles written by the doctor. Or start with 'The Face of Women's Health: Helen Rodriguez-Trias' written by Joyce Wilcox for the American Journal of Public Health.

Bibliography:

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drawing of a doctor's medical bag.

Want to test a new technology? Practice using an otoscope? Explore the inner you via the portable ultrasound machine?

Himmelfarb Library encourages you to check out its Emerging Technologies Black Bag Collection.

The collection includes:

  • Portable blood pressure cuffs
  • Otoscopes
  • Portable EKG readers
  • Fitness trackers
  • Portable ultrasound machine

Most of these devices are designed to work with your iPhone or Android phone.

Come to the first floor Circulation Desk to borrow any of these items. We keep them behind the desk on our Reserves shelf, and each piece of equipment circulates for 1 week. See our Equipment for Checkout Collection for a complete list of circulating equipment.

For more information contact Circulation at mlbcir@gwu.edu or (202) 994-2962.

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Hand putting paper in trashcan

The rapid evolution of evidence and constant press coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic shone a spotlight on an issue that has continued to dog librarians, evidence synthesists, and database creators: how to track and display retractions, comments of concerns, and other, related notices, while maintaining the completeness of the scientific record. 

Science is, as is often said, a self-correcting process. We have measures in place to ensure the soundness and quality of research published. We use peer review. We have reporting standards. Journals and publishers are adding more and more transparency guidelines, for instance around funding disclosures and data and software/code sharing. 

Still, retractions happen. So do corrections. And comments of concern. Other scientists, editors, and readers in general (even students (see Reardon, 2021) flag issues in published research. “Part of the iterative process of scientific research is calling out and remembering the mistakes so as not to repeat them” (Berenbaum, 2021, p.3).

Once that research is published, how do we manage these concerns? “Removing a discredited paper from the literature entirely isn’t possible [and] isn’t necessarily desirable; doing so removes part of the record of the self-correcting iterative process by which science advances” (Berenbaum, 2021, p.2). How do we at once preserve the scientific record, keeping the original article for historical and/or meta-research purposes, and ensure that readers are alert to larger concerns about the article?

This has been highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic and the accelerated research, writing, review, and publication cycles. The retractions from premier journals, and their subsequent reuse and citation, had potential for very real consequences in decision-making and "challenge authors, peer reviewers, journal editors, and academic institutions to do a better job of addressing the broader issues of ongoing citations of retracted scientific studies" (Lee, et al., 2021).

In conversations with other librarians conducting COVID-19 literature searches, we all encountered instances of retractions, comments of concern, withdrawals, and even disappearances of articles we were responsible for identifying and sharing with decision-makers and clinicians.

In one email thread, librarians shared strategies to specifically identify retractions in literature searches. The tools at our disposal are necessarily limited by the publishers’ practices and the metadata in our databases. For instance, a withdrawn preprint remains difficult to capture. 

That said, we can devise, from the documentation provided by PubMed, a strategy to identify retractions and concerns when conducting systematic reviews, developing guidelines, and participating in other projects requiring comprehensive searches. When conducting such projects, the time between the original search and export of results, writing, submission, and actual publication can be months. Within that time, articles can be corrected or retracted for a variety of reasons, ranging from updating an author’s affiliation to the uncovering of fabricated data. 

In the email thread of librarians discussing retraction searching in the context of COVID-19, one suggested searching “Expression of concern for: [article title].” Not all articles are formally retracted. Others may be published as errata or expressions of concern. The reasons for each can vary. To fully cover the breadth of potential concerns, I used this suggestion as a starting point to identify potentially problematic articles within a set of search results. 

In Ovid MEDLINE, AND the following to your search strategy 

"Expression of concern for".m_titl.

"Erratum in".mp.

"Retraction in".mp.

retracted publication.pt.

1 or 2 or 3 or 4

*Please note, this search approach has not been formally tested.*

Line 1 aims to capture expressions of concern, which are written by journal editors and often use the phrase “Expression of concern” in their titles. 

Line 2 aims to capture errata. Errata are published to correct or add information in a published article and to address errors arising in either the publication process or from missteps in methodology. Note, errata include a range of corrections and additions, from correcting an author’s job title (BMJ, 2008) to accidental duplication of a figure (Silva-Pinheiro, et al. 2021). 

Lines 3 and 4 aim to capture retractions. According to the Committee on Publication Ethics, retractions should be considered when there is reason to believe a publication presents unreliable findings or unethical research, plagiarises, uses material without proper authorization, or fails to note major competing interests (Barbour et al., 2009). 

Lines could be added to specifically capture comments, corrected articles, and updated articles. 

Additional resources are available to help identify and monitor retractions in the literature. Retraction Watch maintains a searchable database. If you use Zotero, you are automatically alerted to retracted papers saved in your library. 

When in doubt, reach out to your Himmelfarb librarians for assistance searching!

References

Reardon, S. (2021). Flawed ivermectin preprint highlights challenges of COVID drug studies. Nature, 596(7871), 173–174. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-02081-w

Berenbaum, M. R. (2021). On zombies, struldbrugs, and other horrors of the scientific literature. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 118(32), e2111924118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2111924118

Lee, T. C., Senecal, J., Hsu, J. M., & McDonald, E. G. (2021). Ongoing citations of a retracted study involving cardiovascular disease, drug therapy, and mortality in covid-19. JAMA Internal Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamainternmed.2021.4112

BMJ. (2008). 3360-b. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.a402

Silva-Pinheiro, P., Pardo-Hernández, C., Reyes, A., Tilokani, L., Mishra, A., Cerutti, R., Li, S., Rozsivalova, D. H., Valenzuela, S., Dogan, S. A., Peter, B., Fernández-Silva, P., Trifunovic, A., Prudent, J., Minczuk, M., Bindoff, L., Macao, B., Zeviani, M., Falkenberg, M., & Viscomi, C. (2021). Correction to 'DNA polymerase gamma mutations that impair holoenzyme stability cause catalytic subunit depletion'. Nucleic Acids Research. https://doi.org/10.1093/nar/gkab837

Barbour, V., Kleinert, S., Wager, E., & Yentis, S. (2009). Guidelines for retracting articles. Committee on Publication Ethics. https://doi.org/10.24318/cope.2019.1.4

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Hands on computer keyboard

Himmelfarb Library offers two methods of off-campus access for our electronic collections.  Both methods require a GW NetID and password.  Users can use either method - or both - depending on their needs and location.
VPN is software, Cisco AnyConnect, which can be downloaded from GW and installed on your personal computer.   The VPM works well if you are working from your own computer, or from a work computer which you use regularly. 

You can login to the Cisco AnyConnect VPN (go.vpn.gwu.edu) using the first part of your GW NetID (everything before the @) and password.  The Cisco AnyConnect VPN will make your computer function as though you're working from the library so you won't be prompted to enter additional login/password information when you access Himmelfarb's databases, e-journals, and e-books. 

As an alternative to the VPN, Himmelfarb's web-based login works well if you're accessing Himmelfarb's online collections from a computer where you can't install or run the VPN.  For example, users accessing Himmelfarb Library from clinical locations or from computers which they do not use regularly will find the web-based login useful.   Himmelfarb's web-based login will prompt you to login just as you login to your GW email - i.e. by entering your full NetID (netid@gwu.edu or netid@gwmail.gwu.edu) and password and completing two-step authentication. 

You will be prompted to login using your GW NetID and password for the first Himmelfarb resource that you access, but the browser will 'remember' your information after that so you won't need to enter your login/password repeatedly. 

Some users who access Himmelfarb's online resources from other institutions (e.g. Children's National, GW Medical Faculty Associates, etc.)  have reported issues with the web-based login.   The issue seems to be that GW's system automatically picks up your other institution's login and does not give you the opportunity to enter your @gwu.edu address and password.  We've developed two methods to get around this issue: 

  • Use one web browser for most work and reserve a second web browser for logging into Himmelfarb Library and other GW functions.  This option works well if you are working from a computer that you use regularly as you can remain logged in.
  • Open an 'incognito' browser window.  This option works well if you are working from a computer that is shared with other users.

If you run into login issues, please ask a librarian!  We can help you login and troubleshoot any issues that you enter.  We are here to help!

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Published on 1 Comment on Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire: The Juul Journal Controversy
Image of shopping cart with $20 bills inside next to a stack of books.
Photo by Karolina Grabowska from Pexels

A July 2021 post on MedPage Today discussed the fact that e-cigarette maker Juul had spent $51,000 to publish an entire special issue of articles in the American Journal of Health Behavior (AJHB) that promote the use of e-cigarettes. The special issue includes 11 studies focused on “the implications of switching from cigarettes to Juul systems, and dual use of cigarettes and Juul products” (Torjesen, 2021). 

Juul partnered with Pinney Associates and the Centre for Substance Use Research (CSUR) to conduct these studies (Basen, 2021). According to the Pinney Associates website, they help “pharmaceutical companies and consumer healthcare clients to reduce their regulatory risk and enhance the commercial value of their life sciences products” (Pinney Associates, 2021). The company began working exclusively with Juul Labs, Inc. in 2019 “to advance relative risk-based regulation of nicotine and tobacco products” because “smokers should not have to suffer unnecessarily and risk dying prematurely because of how they get their nicotine” (Pinney Associates, 2021). 

CSUR’s website states that they are an “independent research centre” with a goal of ensuring that those within the e-cigarette industry “have access to high quality behavioural research that can further their own goals of reducing the harms associated with the use of combustible tobacco products” (CSUR, 2021). The CSUR website even touted the recent special issue of AJHB as “reporting on the impact of the JUUL e-cigarette on adult smoker behavior” and later praised Juul’s commitment to “strengthening the evidence base around the contribution of electronic nicotine delivery systems in reducing the multiple harms of smoking” (CSUR, 2021). 

According to MedPage Today, “Juul staff contributed to every article...while Pinney staff worked on 10 of them and CSUR staff conducted data analyses for seven” of the 11 articles published in this AJHB special issue. While AJHB policy is to charge researchers to publish in their journal, it is unusual for a company to purchase an entire issue. 

A Juul news release from April 2021 stated that following Juul’s Premarket Tobacco Product Applications (PMTA) filing in July 2020, the 11 studies published in this special issue were a result of Juul’s regulatory team shifting their focus to publishing “key research underlying our application through peer-reviewed manuscripts.” The FDA is currently considering this filing and was expected to announce a ruling yesterday (September 9, 2021) on whether or not Juul vaping products could remain on the market. However, the FDA delayed this decision saying it needed more time to rule on Juul’s products according to an article published in The Washington Post and an NPR story that aired on All Things Considered yesterday.

AJHB has faced criticism following the publication of the special issue. The backlash has resulted in the retirement of Elbert Glover, the journal’s executive editor at the time of the issue’s publication, and the resignation of three editorial board members. While Juul claims that the company “must engage with the public health community on the science and facts underlying our products,” critics including David Dayen, executive editor of The American Prospect, point out that all articles published in the AJHB special issue “take the Juul party line that e-cigarettes help convert smokers away from combustible tobacco products, and thus aid public health” (Basen, 2021). 

“After decades of tobacco companies paying previously credible scientists to produce studies designed to reach a predetermined outcome to foster their marketing goals and mislead the public about the overall state of the evidence, one thing should be abundantly clear: research funded by tobacco companies cannot be treated as a credible source of science or evidence. No credible scientific journal should allow a tobacco company to use it for this purpose.”

Matthew Myers, president of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids (Torjesen, 2021)

Elbert Glover, AJHB’s now retired editor-in-chief, defended the journal's decision to publish the special issue in a recent BMJ news article and explained that “to reject a paper [based] on who funded the work rather than science is wrong '' (Torjesen, 2021). Glover also claimed that all manuscripts went through the full review process with no special treatment, and nothing was hidden during the review process (Torjesen, 2021). However, this claim was refuted by a reviewer who alleged that “reviewers were not informed of Juul’s role until they questioned ‘fishy’ aspects of the studies” (Redden, 2021). The unnamed reviewer explained she even recommended one study be rejected because it was so biased and made her think there was “No way it wasn’t funded by Juul” (Redden, 2021). 

This situation is a reminder of the importance of thinking critically about research. Publication itself in a peer-reviewed journal is not enough to ensure that the research is good research. Things to consider when evaluating research include: potential conflict of interest (i.e. author affiliation and/or funding sources), bias, appropriate study design, sample size (and if the sample is representative of the wider population), data collection methods, and the use of appropriate statistical measures and methods.

The funding source of research that produced an article is perhaps the most relevant of these criteria in the case of the AJHB Juul special issue. A recent systematic review and meta-analysis analyzed articles published in peer-reviewed journals and assessed whether or not funding sources supported or opposed substitution of tobacco or nicotine products as harm reduction (Hendlin et al., 2019). Of the 826 articles reviewed, “23.9% disclosed support by industry; 49% of articles endorsed THR [tobacco harm reduction]; 42% opposed it, and 9% took a neutral or mixed positions” (Hendlin et al., 2019). The article concluded that “non-industry funded articles were evenly divided in stance, while industry-funded articles favored THR” and that “public health practitioners and researchers need to account for industry funding when interpreting the evidence in THR debates” (Hendlin et al., 2019).

Do you want to learn more about how to evaluate a resource’s credibility? Himmelfarb Library can help! Check out the following video for more information about evaluating a resource's credibility

References:

Aubrey, A. (2021, September 9). The FDA will take more time to determine if benefits of Juul Products Outweigh Harm. All Things Considered. https://www.npr.org/2021/09/09/1035610408/the-fda-will-take-more-time-to-determine-if-benefits-of-juuls-products-outweigh-

Basen, R. (July 13, 2021). Juul bought out medical journal for $51K: E-cig maker sponsored nearly a dozen studies, took over journal as it awaits FDA ruling. Medpage Today. https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/93555?xid=nl_mpt_investigative2021-07-21&eun=g1151854d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=InvestigativeMD_072121&utm_term=NL_Gen_Int_InvestigateMD_Active

CSUR: Centre for Substance Use Research. (2021). Centre for Substance Use Research website. https://www.csures.com/

Hendlin, Y. H., Vora, M., Elias, J., & Ling, P. M. (2019). Financial Conflicts of Interest and Stance on Tobacco Harm Reduction: A Systematic Review. American journal of public health, 109(7), e1–e8. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2019.305106

Perrone, M. (2021, September 9). FDA delays decision on e-cigarettes from vaping giant Juul. The Washington Post, https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/fda-delays-decision-on-e-cigarettes-from-vaping-giant-juul/2021/09/09/3bb84966-119e-11ec-baca-86b144fc8a2d_story.html

Pinney Associates. (2021). Pinney Associates homepage. https://www.pinneyassociates.com/

Redden, E. July 13, 2021. Buying Off an Academic Journal? Inside Higher Ed. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2021/07/13/e-cigarette-maker-juul-pays-51000-fund-special-issue-juul

Torjesen I. (2021). Academic journal is criticised for publishing special issue funded by tobacco industry. BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 373, n1247. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n1247

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Photo of GW University Hospital

Himmelfarb Library provides access to online resources to George Washington University Hospital staff! GW Hospital users will be automatically routed to Himmelfarb Library's customized page for hospital users which provides direct access to key clinical resources including DynaMed, Lexicomp, ClinicalKey, and ClinicalKey for Nursing! Hospital users can access these resources while on-site at the GW Hospital.

Screen shot of Himmelfarb Library webpage for GW Hospital users

In addition to the clinical tools available to GW Hospital users, Himmelfarb Library is pleased to provide access to a core collection of e-books and e-journals. From the library webpage for GW Hospital, users can access popular titles like New England Journal of Medicine, JAMA, BMJ, etc. Users can also use the links to Hospital e-Journals and Hospital eBooks to explore additional titles available to GW Hospital users.

Screen shot of popular resources offered to Himmelfarb Library users

Himmelfarb users who are affiliated with GW as residents, students, faculty or staff are also able to 'switch' to the library's default webpage to access our complete collections. After switching to the default webpage, users will be prompted to login using their GW NetID and password in order to access Himmelfarb's complete collections.

Library's webpage for Hospital users has setting that switches display to Himmefarb's complete collections

Questions? Please ask a librarian! Himmelfarb Library's reference team can be reached via instant message, phone and email!

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Welcome

Welcome and welcome back to all of our students, faculty and staff! We are excited to meet students who are on-campus for the first time, as well as see some familiar faces. It is so great to have all of you here with us at GW!

Regardless of whether you are new to campus or returning, we wanted to provide information about navigating Himmelfarb Library onsite. Perhaps you've been wondering....where are printers located at Himmelfarb? Are there study rooms available to use? How do I find Room B103? For those of you who don’t know all of Himmelfarb’s nooks and crannies, we offer you a guide to navigating the library. Read on...

Library hours

Visit the Himmelfarb Library website for our current hours of operation. Our daily hours are always posted and updated on the Himmelfarb Library website. Presently we are open:

Mondays - Thursdays: 8am - 10pm

Fridays: 8am - 6pm

Saturdays: 12pm - 8pm

Sundays: 12pm - 10pm 

We plan to return to 24/7 hours of operation in September.

Getting in and out

Entry gate

The entry gate is located just beyond the library lobby. A current GWorld card is required in order to get in.

Exit gate

The exit gate is to the right of the entry gate as you are leaving.

  • The exit gate opens automatically as you approach it.
  • No need to use your GWorld card when leaving Himmelfarb.

Getting around

Library floors and room numbers

Himmelfarb Library has four floors:

  • Room numbers starting with 1 (for instance, Room 107), are located on our 1st floor.
  • Room numbers starting with 2 (for instance, Room 202), are located on our 2nd floor.
  • Room numbers starting with 3 (for instance, Room 305H), are located on our 3rd floor.
  • Room numbers starting with B1 (for instance, Room B103), are located on the B1 level (one level down from the first floor).

Stairwells and elevator

  • Himmelfarb has two stairwells, one on the library’s courtyard side (west) and one of the 23rd St. side (east) 
    • Staff at the Circulation Desk (located just beyond the entry gate on the right) can direct you to either.
    • Only the courtyard-side stairwell takes you to the B1 level.
  • Himmelfarb has one elevator, located to the right of the courtyard stairwell.
    • It goes to all floors.

Places to study

Study rooms to reserve

We have small rooms that you may reserve for individual or group study on our 2nd and 3rd floors. Please make a room reservation (for up to four hours) prior to occupying the room. 

Book and AV item locations

Books available for 3-week loan are housed on the B1 level. Reference books (in-house use only) are located on the 1st floor next to the Reference Desk. A smaller Reference collection is housed at the Bloedorn Technology Center on the 3rd floor. DVDs and audio CDs available for 3-week loan are also kept at the Bloedorn Technology Center. 

Service desks

Circulation Desk

The Circulation Desk is located ahead to the right as you pass through the library’s security gate. The Desk is staffed during all open hours. Here, you can check out everything from books to iPhone/iPad chargers to dry-erase markers and erasers to use in our study rooms. This is also where you can check out items on reserve. Circulation’s phone number is (202) 994-2962, and their email address is mlbcir@gwu.edu.

Reference Desk

Himmelfarb’s Reference Desk is staffed Monday - Thursday from 8:30am - 8pm, and Friday from 8:30am - 5pm. You can reach a Reference Librarian via text, email, or chat. Or you can stop by the Reference Desk (located next to the Circulation Desk) to speak in-person with a Reference Librarian. Reference’s phone number is (202) 994-2850. They can help you with literature searches, citation resources, and much more!

IT Help Desk

The School of Medicine’s IT department is conveniently located at the Bloedorn Technology Center on Himmelfarb’s 3rd floor. IT offers assistance weekdays from 8am - 5pm, and they welcome walk-up questions. You may also call them at (202) 994-9400, or email them at casshelp@gwu.edu.

Technology

Computer workstations

Computers are available for use on the 1st and 3rd floors, as well as on the B1 level in Classroom B103 (depending on room availability). Just log in with your NetID and password.

Computer labs

Our largest computer lab is in Room B103 (on the B1 level). It is available to use except when reserved by departments for classes and exams. Our other computer lab is the Women’s Board Teaching Classroom (WBTC), located in the Bloedorn Technology Center on the 3rd floor. It is also free to use as long as a class or exam has not been scheduled.

Printing

Public printing is available on the 1st and 3rd floors of Himmelfarb. Three WEPA printing stations are located directly across from the Circulation Desk. An additional WEPA printer is located at the Bloedorn Technology Center’s middle computer lab. GW’s Colonial Printing website tells you how to print from various devices, and lists the cost of printing as well as how to pay.

Scanning

Flatbed scanners are available to library users on the 1st and 3rd floors. The 1st-floor scanner is located near the Circulation Desk. Scanners on the 3rd floor are located in the Bloedorn Technology Center.

Free writing consultations

GW Writing Center

The GW Writing Center offers one-on-one consultations for all types of writing assignments. Their main location is at the Gelman Library (Suite 221 on the entrance floor). The Center offers face-to-face appointments at Gelman throughout the week (hours listed below). Zoom appointments are also available, which is useful for those living off campus.

The Writing Center’s hours of operation are:

Monday - Thursday: 9am - 9pm

Friday: 9am - 3pm

Sunday, 5pm - 10pm

Visit WCOnline to schedule appointments. Once registered, you can sign up for up to three appointments per week, up to two weeks in advance. 

If you are working on a long-term project, take advantage of the Writing Center’s Long-Term Project Program. This program allows you to partner with a single consultant on a major project for up to a full semester.

Restrooms

Restrooms for men and women are located on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd floors of the library in the southeast corner (23rd Street side of building). A restroom for women is also located on the library’s B1 Level, as well as a Lactation Room. Ross Hall offers a nearby gender-inclusive restroom, located next to Room 101.

Restroom foot pull door openers

All restroom doors are equipped with no-touch foot-operated door openers.

Hand sanitizing stations

Two hand sanitizer dispensers are currently located at Himmelfarb Library: one in the library lobby and the other near the first floor, courtyard-side stairwell.

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Published on 1 Comment on Cool Tools: Back To School Edition

The start of this semester marks an exciting time where many students, staff and faculty members will return to the George Washington University campus for in-person instruction. The transition away from a completely virtual classroom may be a difficult leap for some to make and we’d like to assist you during this process. Preparing for a new semester is always a great time to pause and reflect on the tools you use to help you maintain focus, organize your schedule or study for an upcoming exam. Below is a list of productivity tools that you may find useful as you begin your coursework:

  • BodyViz: If you’re interested in studying anatomical structures in an interactive way, head to the third floor of Himmelfarb library and check out the anatomy software available for use. With BodyViz, you’ll be able to examine over 1,000 preloaded 3D anatomical structures or you can upload your own models to the software suite. Reservations are required to use the software and accompanying hardware. This is a great tool if you’re a visual learner or if you’re interested in ‘hands-on’ experience while studying. Be sure to read our BodyViz libguide to learn more.
  • LibKey Nomad: This browser extension will easily connect you to articles within Himmelfarb’s collection. With LibKey Nomad installed, if there is a full PDF version of the article available you can download it with a simple click. This extension will also guide you to the article’s listing in the collection and offer potential delivery options. The extension is compatible with many websites such as Pubmed and Scopus and is free to use.
  • Notion: Do you want a digital space where you can store your notes, to-do lists, upcoming events and other important details? Then consider using Notion, an all-in-one workspace that allows you to create pages and entries that work for you and your needs. The app offers templates to help you get started and there are tutorials that will highlight key features of the application. Notion’s Personal Plan is free and you’re able to invite up to five guests for collaboration. If you’re interested in incorporating Notion into your routine, start with this quick tutorial that covers the basics of creating your workspace:
  • Pomodoro Method: You may have heard of this time management system before. Set a timer for a period of time and work until the timer rings. Take a break and repeat the cycle until you’ve completed your tasks or your study session. According to Kat Boogaard of The Muse, “The idea behind the technique is that the timer instills a sense of urgency….Additionally, the forced breaks help to cure that frazzled, burnt-out feeling most of us experience toward the end of the day.” There are several apps that help you track the time. You can use the timer installed on most smartphones and computers. Or try the Marinara Timer or Flow if you have an Apple device. Or search YouTube for any number of ‘Study With Me’ videos or channels such as Merve Study Corner.
  • Stay Organized: As the semester progresses, it’s easy to lose track of important dates, upcoming exams, or school breaks. Using a planner, whether virtual or physical, can reduce stress and contribute to a productive and enjoyable semester. If you’ve struggled with maintaining a planner in the past, consider picking a day and time devoted solely towards adding events to your calendar.  If you’re interested in keeping a virtual calendar, try Google Calendar or the calendar app installed on your computer. Notion also has a calendar feature that can be added to your workspace. If you want to use a physical planner, consider the Bullet Journal method and customize your planner to fit your needs. If you need help getting started with setting up a bullet journal, YouTube offers plenty of tutorials and inspirational videos. AmandaRachLee’s channel is a great place to begin!

Do you have tools and resources to help you manage your coursework throughout the semester? Share them in the comments! We’d love to hear from you and maybe your comment will help one of your peers.

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