Associate Fellowship Program: Where Are They Now?

2011-2012 Associate Fellows ... Ten Years On

Where Are They Now? highlights the accomplishments of our alumni associates ten years after their Associate Fellowship.

The 2011-2012 NLM Associate Fellows arrived on the NIH campus bringing backgrounds in science, clinical are, and instruction. While at NLM, the Associate Fellows contributed to several research projects and enhanced existing programs at NLM. In the ten years’ time since then they are progressing in their careers and are now working in government library, academic library, and private industry.

Bethany Harris could not be located for this update.

Ten years after their fellowship:

• Michele Mason-Coles a Clinical Librarian at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences.
• Suzy Roy is the Customer Relations Manager for the Americas and Collaborations Specialist at SNOMED International
• Jessi van der Volgen is the Associate Director for the NNLM National Training Office, based at the University of Utah Eccles Health Sciences Library.

Michele Mason-Coles

Where are you working now?

I am currently a Clinical Librarian at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center (WRNMMC), and Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences - just across the street from NLM!

How did the NLM Associate Fellowship impact your career?

Year one of the fellowship provided me with a comprehensive understanding of the National Library of Medicine framework. This background knowledge has given me an extensive frame of reference for all aspects of librarianship. Year two of the fellowship provided me with a fully immersed experience as a medical/clinical librarian at Inova Fairfax Hospital - I consider my year there as a true blessing. I was trained by an extraordinary team of caring, dedicated and committed medical librarians. Through pilot programs implemented by the library director specifically for my fellowship, I gained the essential skills and knowledge which prepared me for my current role as a clinical librarian and for participation in patient education. My current role major responsibilities include rounding with our pediatric clinical team, and EBM training for pediatric residents and fellows.

How and what do you do to keep learning and growing?

As a lifelong learner, I continue to seek out relevant learning opportunities through professional development (virtual or in-person). I have wonderful mentors, as well as read books and articles on professional and personal development. With the WRNMMC library team, I regularly give back to the profession and to the NLM Associate Fellowship Program (AFP) by training each new cohort of the Associate Fellowship Program in Evidence Based Medicine and Clinical Librarianship.

What’s next for you?

I enjoy my current role, enjoy mentoring new librarians, and am discovering new interests as I grow. I am excited about what is next in my career whatever that may be!

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Suzy Roy

Where are you working now?

I work at SNOMED International as the Customer Relations Manager for the Americas and Collaborations Specialist.

How did the NLM Associate Fellowship impact your career?

The NLM Fellowship had a huge impact on my career. Following the Fellowship, I worked at NLM as the SNOMED CT Coordinator where I managed the maintenance and production of, and provided customer support for, the US Edition of SNOMED CT. The Fellowship program exposed me to the vast breadth of medical librarianship and informatics. Without the program I would not have been as aware of the huge importance of terminology and standards in clinical health systems. And the NLM staff, who are leaders in their respective fields, provided invaluable mentorship throughout (and beyond!) the Fellowship. The NLM Associate Fellowship really helped pave my career path!

How and what do you do to keep learning and growing?

My job exposes me to Departments and Ministries of Health from around the world. Through these contacts I am able to learn about health data policy, interoperability, and the different nation-wide health information roadmaps and initiatives. This keeps me learning and busy! Additionally, I am fortunate to work for a company invested in my on-going professional development. I am currently working through a project management certification program.

What’s next for you?

I am learning so much in my current position(s) at SNOMED International and hope to continue to work and grow here for the near future!

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Jessi van der Volgen

Where are you working now?

I am the Associate Director for the NNLM National Training Office, based at the University of Utah Eccles Health Sciences Library.

How did the NLM Associate Fellowship impact your career?

The NLM Associate Fellowship program vastly expanded my view of the role and potential impact of libraries in research and in communities. It increased my ability to ask thoughtful questions and find ways contribute to large-scale projects. I worked on a natural language processing project with Dr. Dina Demner-Fushman, and although I was initially intimidated by the scope of the project, I learned that I had valuable experience to bring to the project.

The Associate Fellowship also led to my current role. I came to the Eccles Health Sciences Library for the second year of the fellowship partly because I wanted to work on what was then the Network of the National Library of Medicine Training Center (NTC). I stayed on as a trainer, and eventually became the Assistant Director. We have successfully recompeted the NNLM Training Office twice now – so I’ve never really gone too far from the start the NLM Fellowship gave me.

How and what do you do to keep learning and growing?

I view just about everything as a chance to keep learning and growing – meeting new people, taking classes, or getting feedback about current work all help me to continue to develop. I read and attend workshops in the field of education and talent development, but also I try to read widely or attend webinars for topics that at first seem unrelated to my current work.

What’s next for you?

I really enjoy contributing to the growth and development of librarians and other professionals. As an extension of that I’d like to continue to gain skills in organizational development to support the people I work with and organizations I’m a part of grow in health ways that align with their values and strategy.

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