Consumer Health Information Specialization for Library Students

What are the benefits?

Teaching an CHIS-certified course in your LIS or iSchool program is a great opportunity for students to show that they've gained knowledge and skills in providing health information services to consumers and an extra skill to add to their resume. These skills are designed for a wide range of librarians and information professional, such as:

• Public librarians
• Medical librarians
• Librarians working in the consumer health environment.
• Anyone interested in providing reliable resources to their community!

Additionally, offering CHIS is a great incentive to during open registration to increase the number of students register for the class. 

Is There a Fee?

No! With this partnership, MLA will waive the approved course application fee for professors participating in the program. Additionally, NNLM will cover the CHIS application fee (a $99 value) for level 1 or level 2, including renewals for students who complete the course.

Want more benefits? Scroll down to read the positive feedback received from professors and students participating in the program. 

An Interview with Dr. Emily Vardell

Below describes Dr. Emily Vardell's, Assistant Professor for the School of Library and Information Management program at Emporia State University, about her experience teaching an CHIS-certified course.  

What was your experience going through the process of getting your course approved?

“I worked with Debra Cavanaugh from MLA who helped me go through the process. She sent me the CHIS competencies and I reviewed my syllabus to make sure the elements were there. Luckily, my syllabus was already perfectly aligned with the CHIS competencies. We were able to cover a lot of content in my 12 week-long class and the CHIS competencies perfectly aligned and made sense to teach in a consumer health course. I had to submit my syllabus to Debra for review to make sure everything was aligned with the CHIS competencies and all the other required information was included. It was pretty seamless.”

“It is pretty easy for students to access their CHIS certification once they’ve completed the course. At the end of the semester, I would provide students with step-by-step instructions on how to obtain their certification with the code needed to access it. It was helpful and easy to follow and It’s not a super long process.”

What would you suggest to professors interested in getting their course approved?

“It is really a great benefit to offer to students that already connects them to practice. Often times people say, ‘Library School is so theoretical. I’m not seeing the practical applications.’ CHIS, however, offers that practical application because its certification students can earn before they graduate. It helps them secure that position that gives them the ‘leg-up’ in a job interview setting.”

“CHIS is a great way to attract students to courses that are overlooked or never looked at twice because students would assume, 'Oh, this is a health class, not for me.' Having that extra level of connecting public libraries helps.”

“Make sure to keep MLA updated on what's going on. Send them a list of students, give further communication with the Regional Medical Library. NNLM helps get everything completed and ready to go.”

Additional feedback from Dr. Emily Vardell

“I am so grateful for the RML’s financial support. It would be a barrier to students if they had to cover the fees. There are more students taking advantage of the certification because of the RML covering the fees.”

Student Feedback

“When I enrolled in the SLIM program through Emporia, I did not set out to earn the CHIS certification. Having a professor my first semester that was a former medical librarian piqued my interest. My background is in teacher education, and while I taught, I would use my summers and weekends to work in healthcare. As my life evolved to librarianship, I have continued to use my sum experiences to inform my philosophy and mindset. Long ago, I realized that the hope to change lives for the better rested in education. This class affirms my beliefs. I know that I can make differences in the lives of library patrons by sharing what I have learned and by advocating for those individuals whose voices are rarely heard. Thank you NNLM and Dr. Vardell for making this certification possible.”

"This has been my favorite course in my MLA program so far. I gained knowledge of resources I can use in the field, and really appreciate Dr. Vardell arranging for the course to count towards CHIS certification through MLA"

"I just wanted to share something that happened to me today that I was better prepared for because of your classes. I had a patron coming in looking for a book on schizophrenia. She needed more information on the basis of the diagnosis. However; all of our books were more of biographies or of medical advancements in treating it. I was able to direct her to MedlinePlus and show her how to do a basic search in order for her to find the information she was needing. It was the highlight of my day being able to help someone with a medical reference question, and I just wanted to share".

"I just wanted to let you know that I got my level II CHIS certification! Thanks for the great class. :) 

On a personal note, I also wanted to let you know that I was able to use the skills I learned in class to convince my sister to get vaccinated! I will forever be grateful I took this class if for no other reason than that." 

What motivated you to sign up for this class?

“I love working in a public library and would love to continue on that path, but I'm open to other possibilities should opportunities arise. I decided to sign up for this class because I am interested in earning my CHIS and enjoyed the last class I took taught by professor Vardell.”

“I decided to take this class because my current library manager has informed me that there are very few people employed by the county with any consumer health information know how. With this under my belt, and the benefit of the CHIS, I will have a much higher chance of acquiring a better job than the one which I currently hold.”

“I have probably looked at every possible conceivable source for health information from Google to PubMed to National Libraries of Medicine (NLM). I have taken several courses/webinars through NLM and am currently enrolled in a "Wellness in the Library Workplace" course. My goal was to earn my CHIS which is "reason 3" why I am taking this course.”

“I really like being in the public library and I will probably stay in that area, although if the right opportunity in a different library came up I would be up to try it. I am taking this class because I want my CHIS certification. I also know an awesome medical librarian so I using this class to explore the possibilities of medical librarianship.”

Instructions to Start the Application Process

Follow the steps below to get your LIS or iSchool class approved by MLA to offer CHIS certificates.

1. Contact Sam Nunn (sam.nunn@utah.edu) at NNLM and Nicki Mehall (nicki.mehall@mlahq.org) from MLA to notify your interest in applying to get your course approved to become an MLA consumer health information course.
2. Email Nicki Mehall your course syllabus, how many MLA CE credits the class qualifies for, and a description of how the course covers one or more of the eight CHIS competencies for review. The number of CE credits offered is determined by the number of work hours students will spend in the class. For example, if students spend a total of 15 hours on coursework for the class, then they will qualify for 15 MLA CE credits. To offer a Level 1 CHIS, the class must cover competencies 1-5 and require a minimum of 12 credit hours. For a Level 2 CHIS, the class will need to cover competencies 1-8, and require a minimum of 24 credit hours. For more information about the CHIS competencies, view the Consumer Health Information Specialization page to learn more.
3. Once MLA verifies that your course aligns with one or more CHIS competencies, MLA will provide additional instructions to get your course set up in MEDLIB-ED and will provide you instructions on how students can earn their after completing your course. 

If you have any questions about the process, contact Sam Nunn at sam.nunn@utah.edu. 

What to do once I'm approved to offer CHIS? 

MLA will provide you with an enrollment code and instructions to provide to your students on how to claim MLA CE credit. You will provide this information to your students once the semester has ended. 

How can students apply for their CHIS? 

There are three main steps that students will need to follow to receive their CHIS. Students must complete the steps in this order to ensure they are able to earn their CHIS for free. 

1. Claim MLA CE credit at MEDLIB-ED. Students will need the enrollment code for this step. Here is a helpful video on how students claim credit on MEDLIB-ED.  
2. Submit their NNLM Specialization Sponsorship Application. MLA will provide next steps on how to finalize your CHIS application.
3. Follow the instructions provided by MLA to complete their CHIS application. 

How can students get CHIS for FREE?

After students have claimed credit through MEDLIB-ED, students will apply for the NNLM Specialization Sponsership. Once submitted, MLA will email the student next steps on how to finalize their application. 

Does the enrollment code expire?

Yes, the enrollment does expire. Prior to the semester starting, reach out to Nicki Mehall at to ensure that the enrollment code is up-to-date. If it has expired, Nicki will provide you with a new enrollment code to provide to your students. 

Who should students contact for questions?

Students are welcome to reach out to Sam Nunn and Nicki Mehall with their questions.

Do students need to be an MLA member to obtain their CHIS?

No. Students are not required to be an MLA member. They will need to create a free account to apply for their CHIS.