When considering undergraduate general health sciences education, there is insufficient evidence that speaks to the benefits and challenges of a scaffolded information literacy curriculum. Despite some argument that the impact on students is the same regardless of how information literacy training is delivered, the call for a curriculum-integrated scaffolded training program is on the rise.

This study aims to develop an understanding of the students’ perceived confidence levels and skill levels when engaging with health information after four-years of formal information literacy instruction.

The researchers used a mixed-methods survey to learn how students’ confidence in their information literacy skills has been impacted by this curriculum. Quantitative survey questions were analyzed using a combination of statistical methods in SPSS software. Qualitative survey questions employed in vivo open coding to identify patterns and categorize themes that emerged in participant responses to open-ended questions.

The survey had a response rate of 25%. 79% of survey participants recalled feeling “unconfident” or “not so confident” about how to find information when they were in their first year of study. By their final year, all participants indicated they felt “somewhat confident” (53%) or “very confident” (47%). Additional findings from the survey and qualitative findings will be discussed during the presentation.

A mandatory curriculum-integrated information literacy program in undergraduate health sciences has been shown to have had a positive impact on students’ confidence in searching and finding information. This study provides evidence of the benefits of integrating information literacy instruction into curricula for undergraduate students.