Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025, 1:00pm–4:00pm
All courses will take place on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Pittsburgh, PA. Courses are not available virtually.
To register, see MLA ’25 Registration
If you are confused by the many claims about the value of generative AI in the medical and health sciences fields and the proliferation of tools and AI “enhancements” to familiar software yet want to provide AI literacy training based on an accurate understanding of the current capabilities and risks of AI tools and likely coming innovations, this course is for you. You’ll gain skills and knowledge that will enhance your contributions not only to your library but also to the medical and health science library profession.
Sarah Morris, an academic librarian, curriculum developer, and AI literacy trainer, will be your guide to finding your way through the complexities and uncertainties of generative AI tools to acquiring confidence in your knowledge of AI and being able to plan and provide AI literacy training and programming at your institution.
You’ll examine and discuss trends and issues posed by AI in healthcare environments, from questions of the role of AI in making diagnoses and privacy concerns to issues of bias, stereotyping, and health care for members of groups who have historically faced poor quality care.
To make the tools and issues real, you’ll have hands-on experience with AI tools focused on the health sciences. You’ll use and critically reflect on two free tools, Azure AI and Google Vertex. These tools represent broad trends in generative AI in the health sciences and will serve as a gateway for further exploration.
Drawing on your knowledge of issues and trends and experience with AI tools, you’ll reflect on and discuss what AI literacy might look like among staff and patrons of medical and health sciences libraries now and in the near future and create action plans for developing AI literacy programming at your library.
You’ll leave with current knowledge of generative AI in the health information professions, able to to lead discussions and engage in debates around generative AI, and empowered to continue exploring AI and offering AI training.
You’ll also leave with handouts of resources, links, recommended readings, a planning worksheet to use to further engage with generative AI and develop your own programming ideas, and suggested opportunities for further learning.
Important Note: You’ll need to bring a laptop or tablet with Wi-Fi capability to participate in the course.
Audience
Medical librarians and other health information professionals at any point in their career who work with researchers, practitioners, and students in medical and health sciences fields.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Critically evaluate issues around the development and use of AI in medical fields
- Discuss the unique issues posed by generative AI in health science and medical libraries
- Use and reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of generative AI tools in the field of medicine
- Develop strategies and programming for addressing, navigating, and responding to generative AI in medical libraries.
MLA CE: 3
Instructor
Sarah Morris, MS is the Assistant Director of Academic Engagement and Instruction Coordinator at the University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, GA. Sarah has taught AI literacy workshops and classes for special libraries, including theology and health science libraries over the past year. Sarah has worked on curriculum projects for organizations that include the Mozilla Foundation, the American Library Association, Sage Publishing, the Carter Center, and the National Science Foundation, and she has published in the areas of misinformation and critical thinking.
Course Includes
- 4 Lessons
- Course Certificate