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Category: Health Sciences Research Commons

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The 2019-2020 academic year was a period of extensive growth for our institutional repository, the Health Sciences Research Commons (HSRC). Despite the COVID-19 pandemic uprooting our normal way of life, medical researchers have adjusted to the interruption to their workflow and publication output remains strong. As we settle into a new academic year, let’s take a moment to reflect on some of the HSRC’s highlights from last year. 

From September 2019 to August 2020, over 13,000 entries were added to the repository and publications within the HSRC were downloaded over 123,000 times. Articles were accessed in 191 different countries, meaning publications within the HSRC were read by a diverse population. Through the use of Plumx Metrics and Altmetrics, researchers and published authors can easily track the level of engagement their entries receive and any social media mentions. Though we’re only a month into this near academic year, new entries have been added to the HSRC and it continues to serve as a valuable asset to researchers and scholars in various stages of their careers. 

In response to the growing body of medical research and literature on the COVID-19 pandemic, a separate collection was established within the repository to shine a spotlight on GW faculty members and affiliated researchers who have published work pertaining to this current pandemic. This special collection was established in the summer of 2020 and since then has collected nearly 100 relevant publications. At the time of writing, the ‘COVID-19 Publications by GWU Authors’ collection has gathered 93 publications and continues to grow with each passing week. 

As we continue to settle into this new school year, the staff at Himmelfarb Library are here to help you archive and promote peer-reviewed articles, conference posters/presentations or other scholarly publications. We’re eager to see how the HSRC continues to grow this academic year and in subsequent years. Feel free to explore the collections within Health Sciences Research Commons at https://hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/. If you have published an article/poster/presentation/or other scholarly publication and would like to add it to the repository, please send an email to hsrc@gwu.edu. If you have any additional questions about the HSRC, please email Sara Hoover, the Metadata and Scholarly Communications Librarian at shoover@gwu.edu.

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Photo by Robert Ruggiero on Unsplash

Are you looking to publish your research, but need to find a journal in which to publish? Want to find a journal that will ensure your article will be widely read and cited? Choosing where to submit your manuscript can be a daunting task for any researcher. But don’t despair - Himmelfarb Library has resources that can help.

A great place to start is our Journal Selection webinar, part of Himmelfarb’s Get Yourself Published, Promote Your Research webinar series. In this webinar, Sara Hoover, Metadata and Scholarly Communications Librarian, provides an overview of tools and resources that can help you select an appropriate journal for your research. Learn about the difference between aggregation based journal selection tools and publisher based journal selection tools and utilize comparison rubrics to evaluate multiple publications. Additionally, you’ll have a chance to locate journals relevant to your field of study. 

Want to explore some tools to help you choose a journal? Himmelfarb’s Scholarly Publishing Guide has links to numerous tools that can help you select the right journal for your research. Two useful tools to consider are the Cofactor Journal Selector and the Journal/Article Name Estimator (JANE). The Cofactor Journal Selector can help you identify a journal in which to publish based on subject, peer review, open access, speed of review and other considerations. JANE takes a different approach by allowing you to enter your article title and/or abstract and providing a list of potential journals that may be appropriate for your submission.

Another strategy is to search the Health Sciences Research Commons (HSRC), Himmelfarb’s institutional repository. You can search the HSRC by discipline, collection, or school to see where your colleagues have published their research. You could also search for articles on your topic in PubMed and identify potential journals to consider for your research.

An important consideration to keep in mind when choosing a journal is whether or not the journal is predatory in nature. Predatory journals make false peer-review claims while collecting exorbitant fees from authors who publish in their journals. Because these journals do not actually provide peer-review services, your article could be published next to bogus research and will not be widely read or cited. If you’re going to publish, make sure you are choosing a legitimate, scholarly journal for your work! To learn more about predatory publishing, including how to evaluate a journal to determine whether or not it is predatory, check out our Predatory Publishing Guide.

While choosing a journal that’s right for your research isn’t an easy task, librarians can be a great resource for authors in selecting the right journal. If you are getting ready to publish, don’t fret - Himmelfarb has resources that can help!

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Published on 2 Comments on Crash Course on Using the Medical Library

If you’re a first year medical student, you may wonder how a medical and health sciences library differs from other academic libraries. While academic libraries as a whole work tirelessly to support students, faculty and staff during their time at a college or university, medical library professionals seek out services and resources that are specifically targeted towards medical and health professionals. 

It is not necessary for a medical librarian or other library professional to go through medical school or have a prior background in the medical or health sciences career field. Through constant training and professional development, medical library professionals build a foundational knowledge of common medical terms. The staff at Himmelfarb library frequently attend training sessions to broaden our scope of knowledge to better serve our patrons. Some of our staff members are also embedded in various classes and act as an extra source of support within that environment. With this knowledge we are able to tailor our services to the needs of our unique patrons. 

Medical research can be a daunting undertaking, but medical libraries provide access to print and electronic book, online databases and academic journals that are instrumental during the research, drafting and publishing process. Himmelfarb’s reference desk is available to answer any questions you may have. Through the use of our Ask A Librarian service, it’s possible to connect with someone in a matter of seconds. If you’re interested in learning more about the various ins-and-outs of scholarly publishing, our Scholarly Communications Committee recently completed a webinar series that touches on various publishing topics. The webinars are located under our Scholarly Publishing libguide. Once you’ve published a peer-reviewed article, we’re able to archive it within our institutional repository--the Health Science Research Commons, also known as the HSRC. With the use of Plumx metrics, it’s easy to track the level of engagement a published article receives. No matter what questions you may have, Himmelfarb is ready to assist. 

Medical libraries also strive to provide access to new medical technology. Himmelfarb has several pieces of equipment that can be checked out from the circulation desk. We also house a 3D printer that students, staff and faculty members can use to print various 3D models. This service is by request only. For more information, read the ‘3D Printing at Himmelfarb’ libguide. We’re constantly searching for new and innovative technology that can be used by our patrons and we hope to provide additional technological services in the near future. 

Medical librarianship is a dynamic career field that often changes to address the needs of medical and health science professionals. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced library professionals to develop and maintain a virtual learning environment. Though many staff members of Himmelfarb library continue to work remotely, we’re available to answer any questions you may have. We’re thrilled to be an extra source of support during your time at the George Washington University and we look forward to working with you!

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Health Sciences Research CommonsWhile Covid-19 has upended many industries around the globe, faculty, staff, and students at The George Washington University have persisted in doing what they do best--researching, learning about, and compiling publications about some of the most pressing healthcare issues of our time. Since the start of the pandemic, researchers and students associated with the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, the Milken Institute School of Public Health, and the School of Nursing have published over fifty peer-reviewed articles related to Covid-19. The Himmelfarb Library has compiled a collection of these publications within our institutional repository, Health Sciences Research Commons. The Covid-19 Publications by GWU Authors collection highlights research by students, faculty, and staff and will be updated on a regular basis. Have a publication that needs to be added? Simply email hsrc@gwu.edu with a link to your publication and we will be happy to include your research. 

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Welcome
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash

Himmelfarb Library would like to welcome all of our new users! Whether you are a new resident, fellow, physician assistant or public health student, we welcome you to the GW community! Himmelfarb is ready to serve you and help make your experience here a positive one. You may be curious about what Himmelfarb has to offer and how you can make the most of our resources and services. Here are the top five things we’d like you to know about Himmelfarb:

1) Getting Research Help is Easy!

Our reference librarians are available to answer your questions and provide research support when and where you need help. Get your research and library-related questions answered right from your computer by using the Ask a Librarian service! Reference librarians are available to answer your texts and instant message questions Monday-Thursday from 8:30am-8:00pm, and Friday from 8:30am-5:00pm. 

2) Himmelfarb Resources are Available Anytime, Anywhere.

Himmelfarb’s 100 databases, 4,100 journals, and 4,500 e-books are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Our e-book collection includes most major textbooks from most fields. Install the LibKey Nomad Google Chrome browser extension for seamless and speedy access to full-text articles available through Himmelfarb. After installing the extension, choose ‘George Washington University - Himmelfarb Library’ as your institution, and you’ll be all set. For more information about accessing Himmelfarb’s online resources including tips for navigating articles, check out our E-Resources FAQs page.

To access our electronic resources from off-campus, we recommend connecting to the GW VPN. The Himmelfarb off-campus access page provides additional information about installing the VPN and accessing electronic resources with your GW NetID. Many of our resources are also available as mobile apps for download on your mobile devices. 

3) 3D Printing is Available!

Himmelfarb has a 3D printer available for use by faculty, staff and students in SMHS, SON, GWSPH, the GW Hospital and the MFA. 3D printing will be available once the library opens its doors again. For more information about 3D printing at Himmelfarb, check out our 3D Printing Guide.

4) If We Don’t Have It, We’ll Do Our Best To Get It For You.

While we attempt to make our collection as robust as possible, we don’t have access to everything. In the event that we don’t have access to a resource that you need, you can place a request through our Interlibrary Loan/Documents2Go service. Through this service, we are able to work with a nationwide network of libraries to obtain a copy of a needed resource on your behalf. Articles are normally delivered within 24-72 hours. Interested in learning more about this service? Check our in-depth Interlibrary Loan and Document Delivery guide.

5) The Health Sciences Research Commons Can Expand the Reach of Your Research!

Health Sciences Research Commons (HSRC) is Himmelfarb’s institutional repository, and is a perfect place for you to share your research output during your time at GW. All faculty, researchers, students (with the sponsorship of a faculty member), and staff affiliated with SMHS, SON, GWSPH at GW are eligible to submit their scholarly works to HSRC. By placing your work in HSRC, your work will be easily shareable and discoverable via Google Scholar and other search engines. If you have questions about the HSRC, take a look at the FAQ page or contact Sara Hoover (shoover@gwu.edu), Metadata and Scholarly Publishing Librarian, for more information.

This top five list is just a glimpse into all that Himmelfarb has to offer! In addition to the resources mentioned above, we have numerous research guides on a wide variety of topics. Tutorials are also available on a variety of topics. Himmelfarb welcomes you to the GW community! 

 

 

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The COVID-19 pandemic has caused dramatic upheaval in the world of professional conferences. Most conferences have either been  postponed to a later date or canceled for the year, leaving scholars with posters and presentations that can't be shared with their peers until late 2020 or 2021 at the earliest. Fortunately, the Himmelfarb Library has an excellent resource available that allows for asynchronous virtual conferencing. With the Health Sciences Research Commons, (HSRC), members of the George Washington University Medical, Health Sciences, Public Health and Nursing communities have the ability to archive and present their research to scholars around the globe. 

With Health Sciences Research Commons, it is possible to archive presentation materials such as poster PDFs or videos via native streaming or a 3rd party platform (i.e. YouTube).  If you have content that you would like to share, simply send an email to hsrc@gwu.edu and we will be happy to find an appropriate collection, create the necessary metadata, and send you a link to your archived projects.  Have questions related to archiving and potential future publications? We are happy to answer those questions as well. 

Using the HSRC as a presentation platform is an asynchronous experience which is  different from than the in-person conference. But archiving your project in HSRC has unique benefits such as the ability to generate usage statistics using PlumX metrics and Altmetircs located on the right hand side of an entry. 

As we adapt to a life and workflow that is reliant on virtual workspaces, it is important that we continue to collaborate and share current research with the larger medical community. The HSRC is a wonderful space for archiving and presenting research. If you have any additional questions on using the repository, feel free to reach out to Sara Hoover,  Metadata and Scholarly Publishing Librarian at shoover@gwu.edu.

Please note: This blog post was updated on May 18, 2020 to better reflect the process for submitting to the HSRC.

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Medical Student Research Day Banner Image
Image source: smhs.gwu.edu/communications/creative

The GW School of Medicine and Health Sciences celebrated Medical Student Research Day on Tuesday, May 5, 2020. More than 160 medical students submitted abstracts on a broad range of topics pertaining to medical education, public health, and clinical and translational research.

We congratulate all who participated in the event. Awards were presented to the following medical students:

Donald H. Glew Prize

Nyshidha Gurijala

Faculty Mentor: Laura Olivieri, Division of Cardiology, Children's National

Category: Clinical and Translational Research: Cardiology

Title: Cardiac Magnetic Resonance with Parametric Mapping to Predict Rejection in Pediatric Heart Transplant Recipients

Best Abstract Awards

Nicole Casasanta

Faculty Mentor: P Sheena Khurana, Department of Medicine, GWU

Category: Clinical and Translational Research: Cardiology

Title: Comparison of average and lowest home and office blood pressure recordings and implications on the management of chronic hypertension

Eric Chalif

Faculty Mentor: Jonathan Sherman, Department of Neurosurgery, GW SMHS

Category: Clinical and Translational Research: Neurosurgery

Title: CyberKnife Radiosurgery Treatment of Trigeminal Neuralgia: A Single Institution Examination with Long Term Follow-Up

Marie-Claire Partridge

Faculty Mentor: Shana Jacobs, Center for Cancer and Blood Disorders, CNMC

Category: Clinical and Translational Research: Genomics

Title: Pharmacogenetics of Ondansetron Failure in Pediatric Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting

Spencer Brodsky

Faculty Mentor: Komal Patel, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, GWU

Category: Public Health: Health Policy

Title: An examination of data from 700 crashes involving mopeds and scooters in Washington, D.C., from 2016 to 2019

Kelsi Knapp

Faculty Mentor: Lamia Soghier, CNMC

Category: Public Health: Community and Urban Health

Title: The effects of neighborhood and individual socioeconomic status on parental engagement and psychological distress in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Theodore Quan

Faculty Mentor: Ali Pourmand, Department of Emergency Medicine, GWU

Category: Public Health: Community and Urban Health

Title: Racial Demographics and Resource Utilization Among Teenagers with Firearm-Related Injuries Presenting to the Emergency Department, 2010-2015

Brianna McKiernan

Faculty Mentor: Kate Douglass, The Ronald Reagan Institute of Emergency Medicine, GWU

Category: Medical Education

Title: Introduction of formative assessment tool in a post-graduate training program in India: a mixed methods evaluation

William Beaumont Research Awards

Akshay Reddy

Faculty Mentor: Michael Whalen, Department of Urology, GW SMHS.

Title: Comparison of Oncologic Outcomes for Robotic Vs Open Radical Cystectomy Among Locally Advanced and Node-Positive Patients: An Analysis of the National Cancer Database

Guido Pelaez

Faculty Mentor: Alejandro Villagra, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, GW Cancer Center, GW SMHS.

Title: Functional Characterization of Next Generation Histone Deacetylase 6 Inhibitors

Erin Felton

Faculty Mentor: Andrea Hahn, Infectious Disease, Children’s National Health System

Title: Bacterial Functional Profiling of the Cystic Fibrosis Airway Across Clinical States

Doris DeFord Speck and George Speck, MD Endowed Prize for Student Medical Research

Sharjeel Chaudhry

 

 

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hsrcLooking for a way to increase and track the reach of your research?

Our Health Sciences Research Commons recently surpassed 500,000 downloads from around the globe! Students, faculty, and staff of SMHS, SPH, and SON are invited to submit their citations for new publications to hsrc@gwu.edu. By sending us citations for your recent publications, you help to ensure that your research reaches the widest audience possible, and helps us ensure that we have an accurate portrait of GWU health sciences scholarship.

Students in particular are encouraged to submit research materials, such as posters, capstones, and dissertations, for our student research archives. Archiving your materials allows you to participate in the scholarly communications process by making your ideas and research available to your peers in the health sciences community. You can track how many times your abstract is viewed or your project downloaded with our integrated PlumX metrics “Plum Print” – a visual indication of five different metrics categories: Usage, Captures, Mentions, Social Media, and Citations.

If you have any questions about getting your research into the HSRC, you can check our FAQ, or reach out to Sara Hoover (shoover@gwu.edu).

Fun Fact: Our HSRC Dashboard includes a readership map of all HSRC content. Where in the world will your research end up?

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GW-Nursing_logo_homepageA new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) Project Repository recently was developed by the School of Nursing in collaboration with Himmelfarb Library's Research Commons.

The DNP Project Repository archives all doctoral projects completed within GW’s DNP program. It is used to advance nursing practice by preserving, archiving, and sharing these projects in a permanent digital archive even after student graduation. In addition, the repository can assist current and future DNP students in developing their own projects.

The repository is an open-access site that is searchable and discoverable via search engines.  Students retain copyright of their work and receive a unique, persistent URL that can be shared with colleagues and added to their CV/resume.

The DNP Project Repository was pilot tested in October 2017 with several 2017 DNP graduates. The Repository has now gone live and DNP students graduating in May 2018 are in the process of submitting their projects.

Be sure to check them out at hsrc.himmelfarb.gwu.edu/son_dnp/.

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gwresearchdaysYou put all that hard work into preparing and presenting your poster at Research Days....don't let it sit in a closet! Archive a digital copy in  Himmelfarb Library's Health Sciences Research Commons and make it available to the  global community of scholars.

Including your work in the Health Sciences Research Commons has several advantages for you:

  • Your poster will have a unique URL which you can use to promote your research and include in your CV.  This URL will remain active even after you graduate from GW.
  • Your work will be more 'findable' and other researchers will be able to identify your research from Google Scholar.  For authors who originally indicated 'Yes' to archiving on the Research Days abstract submission form, this is already true.
 
Adding your poster to the Health Sciences Research Commons is easy. Just follow these steps:
  • Fill out the Author Agreement form with the required information.
  • Email the completed Author Agreement form and a copy of your Research Days poster to: hsrc@gwu.edu
  • You will your unique URL which links directly to your poster.  You can Tweet, Facebook, and share the new URL with your colleagues, family, and friends!

Please don't hesitate to let us know if you have any questions or concerns. We can be reached  at hsrc@gwu.edu or 202-994-8357.

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