Meet Medical Librarian, Ivan Portillo

Posted by Carolyn Martin on October 23rd, 2024 Posted in: Guest Post, News from Network Members
Tags: librarian roles, medical librarian, Medical Librarians Month

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October is National Medical Librarians Month. Region 5 is celebrating by highlighting some of the wonderful medical librarians in our region.  This guest post is from one of our California colleagues. 

Hello! My name is Ivan Portillo, and I am the Director of Rinker Campus Library Services at Chapman University’s Harry and Diane Rinker Health Science Campus.

My journey into medical librarianship has been both rewarding and dynamic. I began my career with the hopes of establishing myself as an academic librarian after working as a paraprofessional at public libraries for several years. After receiving my BS in Journalism from Cal Poly Pomona and my MLIS from San Jose State University, I had little experience or background in medicine, but I was given the opportunity to be the Campus Librarian at West Coast University. It was in this position that my journey in health sciences began as I was given the task of being the liaison for the Nursing program. I soon discovered the direct impact medical librarians had on healthcare research and education. After moving on from West Coast University, I found myself working with other allied health programs such as Pharmacy, Physical Therapy, Optometry, Physician Assistant, and Communications Sciences and Disorder programs at Marshall B. Ketchum University and now at Chapman University. Each required learning new information sources, new research methods, and stumbling through how to pronounce new terminology.

As my role in academic libraries transitioned from strictly being a subject-specific librarian to overseeing the library services at a Health Science Campus, I faced challenging and rewarding tasks to meet the needs of my community. One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced is staying ahead of the rapid technological advancements and the increasing complexity of information retrieval in the health sciences. The sheer volume of published research and the need for precise, evidence-based information require constant learning and adaptation. At Chapman, I experienced the increasing demand for advanced research skills and expertise from librarians as the university transitioned to an R2 institution. I soon faced the challenge of ensuring that the library met the diverse needs of our users, from seasoned researchers to first-year students.

While at first challenging, I soon discovered how rewarding it was to help faculty, physicians, and students in their research. I’ve particularly enjoyed collaborating with researchers on systematic reviews and meta-analyses, which are critical in evidence-based practice. Helping students and faculty navigate the complexities of health information and research is truly fulfilling, especially knowing that our work together can directly impact patient care and health outcomes.

The impact librarians have in healthcare may get lost at times, but I hope that medical libraries continue to be recognized as essential partners in healthcare education and research. One way I discovered how to advocate for myself, learn new skills, and find my place as a medical librarian was through my discovery of NNLM and its offerings of professional development opportunities. I can easily say that without their available webinars and courses, I would have found myself lost in the latest developments in medical librarianship and with fewer librarian friends. I often suggest early career librarians take as many free courses or webinars as they can while also being open to networking with librarians in similar positions.