A competência em informação dos estudantes de medicina da Escola Multicampi de Ciências Médicas do Rio Grande do Norte

Abstract

This work analyzes the information literacy of students of the Medical Graduation Course of Multicampi School of Medical Sciences from Rio Grande do Norte, in the perspective of efficient access to scientific literature. It is a descriptive study with quantitative approach that, through a census survey, explores the perception and performance of the information literacy of 37 students fourth semester. It uses a questionnaire as a data collection instrument, which is adapted from the model applied by Guerrero (2009), composed of 20 closed-type questions. Note that students select appropriately the keywords that best represent the subject of a search problem and are accustomed to using library catalogs. It identifies that despite the preference for the internet to access the scientific literature, most of them find it difficult to conduct searches on the remote databases, highlighting as the main limitation the use of search resources. The truncation method is little used by them and many do not know what it is for. Much of it does not understand the functions of Boolean logic operators. Through self-assessment and individual performance analysis, it confirms the need to perfect in students the technical skills necessary for effective access to scientific information. It recommends the implementation of a specific module in the curriculum of the course or the periodic realization of workshops in the library as alternatives to develop information literacy. It concludes that this competence is very relevant for the training of future doctors, since it enables them to acquire knowledge to use technologies and information for the health care of the population.