From Gap to Growth: a Sustainable, Low-Cost Evidence Synthesis Internship Model

Abstract

This lightning talk will present a novel internship proposal designed to address the lack of evidence synthesis (ES) training in library schools. With the rapid growth of ES research across non-medical disciplines, there is an increasing need for librarians trained in ES methodologies. Major organizations, such as the Cochrane Library, Campbell Collaboration, and Joanna Briggs Institute, now identify librarian participation on ES teams as a best practice. As Baylor University Libraries currently employ seven librarians trained in ES methods across multiple disciplines, the institution is well-positioned to lead in addressing this professional gap. The Baylor University Evidence Synthesis Internship is a 12-month, remote professional development opportunity for library and information science students or early-career librarians seeking advanced training. Although the internship is unpaid, Baylor offsets this by covering costs for the Medical Library Association’s Systematic Review Services Specialization (SRSS) Level 1 certification. This financial support, totaling between $536.5 to $600.50 per intern, includes an MLA membership, MLA Continuing Education Passport, and SRSS certification application fee. The internship may also count toward MLS/MLIS practicum requirements if applicable. The internship follows a June-May cycle with a commitment of 3-5 hours per week, with the inaugural intern beginning in June 2026. The curriculum is intentionally scaffolded: the intern begins by attending monthly Community of Practice meetings and completing the 14 MLA courses. This foundational work transitions into active practice, where the intern shadows consultations and meets with assigned librarians to discuss database translation and search techniques. Final deliverables include completing two search translations, leading a search strategy, conducting a consultation session, and designing and delivering an ES-related workshop for Baylor faculty and students. To ensure comprehensive support, Baylor utilizes a distributed mentorship model divided into administrative oversight, training supervision, review guidance, and workshop preparation. This shared model distributes responsibilities according to librarian expertise and ensures the intern receives targeted mentorship while maintaining a sustainable workload for the librarians. The intern benefits from enhanced employability through the SRSS certification and practical experience under expert guidance. Simultaneously, the internship expands the libraries’ capacity for interdisciplinary research and establishes a sustainable pipeline for skilled librarian collaborators. This program offers a low-cost, high-impact framework that can be easily replicated by other institutions with existing evidence synthesis services.