Integrating open science education into an undergraduate health professional research program.

Objective: Open science (OS) is a global movement focused on improving research equity, reproducibility, and transparency of research outputs in publicly funded research. While OS education in academia is becoming more common, examples of health sciences librarians providing OS training are not. This paper describes how a librarian collaborated with teaching faculty and a research program coordinator to integrate an OS curriculum into an undergraduate professional practice course and assess students' perceptions of OS after participating. Methods: A librarian developed an OS-specific curriculum for an undergraduate professional practice course in Nutrition. This course is part of the First Year Research Experience (FYRE) program, which is integrated into 13-week undergraduate courses to introduce students to core elements of the research process in their first year of study by carrying out a research project. The OS curriculum included an Introduction to OS class, a requirement that students share their research outputs in the Open Science Framework, and an assignment asking students to reflect on their experience learning about and practicing OS. Twenty-one of 30 students consented to having their reflection assignment undergo thematic analysis. Results: Students indicated transparency, accountability, accessibility to research outputs, and increased efficiency as positive attributes of OS. The time commitment, fear of being scooped, and concerns over having research be misinterpreted were considered negative attributes. 90% (n=19) of students indicated that they intend to practice OS in the future. Conclusion: Based on strong engagement from the students, we believe that this OS curriculum could be adapted to other undergraduate or graduate student contexts where a research project is required.

Four precursors of Medicare in Saskatchewan.

T. C. Douglas, on assuming power in June 1944 as the first social democratic premier in North America, began working in a step-like pattern as finances permitted, toward his goal of eventual province-wide Medicare. Douglas and his team were able to build on the success of bold initiatives already in place in the Depression-scarred rural municipalities of Pittville, Miry Creek, Webb, and Riverside. These municipalities developed medical and hospital plans that offered residents comprehensive coverage with freedom of choice of doctor. Built on idealism, prairie pragmatism and tenacity, these formative health plans served not only as models, but provided the leadership required during the creation and early years of Swift Current Health Region #1. Key figures such as Bill Burak, Carl Kjorven, Stewart Robertson, and Charles Haydon brought experience, depth, and ambition to the task at hand. Envisioned as simply a demonstration region by the Saskatchewan government, HR #1 achieved more: a seamless integration of preventative medicine with medical care, combined with a sense of local empowerment.