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Wikipedia:WikiProject Medicine/Cochrane/Wikipedian in training/Description of position (original)

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Cochrane is a global independent network of health practitioners, researchers, patient advocates and others, responding to the challenge of making the vast amounts of evidence generated through research more useful for informing decisions about health. It believes that a world of improved health is possible when decisions about health and health care are routinely informed by high-quality, relevant and up-to-date synthesized research evidence, which it produces in the form of Cochrane Systematic Reviews and other accessible resources, and publishes on The Cochrane Library. Generated by contributors from over 120 countries, its work is not-for-profit and free from commercial sponsorship and other conflicts of interest.

Cochrane is recognised as a leading advocate of evidence-based health care, and evidence-informed decision making more generally. It is also emerging as a leader in open science and open data, and understands the importance of Wikipedia as a medical reference for both the lay public and the professional community.

The position: Cochrane is now seeking a talented and engaged Wikipedian in residence to work with its contributors for an initial term of six months, with a possible extension to one year. The WiR would help Cochrane's authors interact with Wikipedia, understand its policies, add reliable sources to expand and update medical articles, and engage with the broader Cochrane and Wikipedia communities to further the partnership between the two organizations. A great candidate can operate as a liaison and a teacher of how Wikipedia works, in addition to being a competent and active medical-editor themselves.

Candidates

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Wiki Project Med Foundation is helping to coordinate the search for great candidates.

The Wikipedian in Residence would ideally be:

  1. An active Wikipedia editor, a Wikipedian in good standing, for at least 1 year and with 1,000 edits (more is preferable)
  2. A science and/or healthcare enthusiast, preferably with a background as either a student or professional
  3. An ambassador, capable of interacting between Wikipedia's community and Cochrane groups
  4. A teacher, helping Cochrane contributors to properly and successfully navigate and use Wikipedia
  5. A collaborator, comfortable working in and among a distributed network of professionals
  6. A remote facilitator, adept with email, scheduling, online meetings, and conference calls
  7. A passionate individual, both about Wikipedia’s mission and Cochrane's approach and goals

The position is open to anyone who can meet these criteria but may be particularly suited to students or recent graduates looking to expand their skills and experience, or those who work part-time in another job. Candidates should have an excellent level of written and spoken English, although those that speak more than one language are particularly welcome to apply.

Location: Cochrane is structured as a network of groups located throughout the world to which people contribute in different ways, but primarily as authors of Cochrane Systematic Reviews. The WiR will work remotely from their chosen location and will interact with a number of groups and their contributors via email and online. Cochrane will provide a selection of online collaboration tools to facilitate communication.

Reporting: The WiR will report to, and be guided by, Cochrane’s Head of Communications & External Affairs, and a Senior Editor of The Cochrane Library. They will also interact regularly with other members of Cochrane’s senior management team and representatives of its publishing partner for The Cochrane Library.

Working hours: The WiR will be expected to work flexibly at different times of their day to suit their schedule and to help support Cochrane groups throughout the world (some work in the evenings is likely to be required). The exact number of hours per week will be agreed with the successful candidate, but is likely to be in the region of 7-12 hours per week.

Remuneration: The WiR will receive a stipend of up to $6,500 USD/£4,000 for the initial six month term, which will be paid in two instalments at the beginning and middle of the term. In addition, the WiR will be funded to attend and present a session at the 22nd Cochrane Colloquium in Hyderabad, India, 21st-25th September 2014.

Interested Wikipedians

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Those interested in applying should complete the online application form by Friday 17th January 2014. Interviews with short-listed candidates will be held via webinar in late January or early February. The successful candidate should be available to start work in February or March 2014.

Those who have already expressed an interest:

  1. Interested in hearing more. I'm currently a 3rd year Astrophysics student in Liverpool, but am enthusiastic about science generally. Would like to hear how suitable a position this would be for a student. Samwalton9 (talk) 09:59, 14 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  2. I'm interested, and will graduate in December, if this position will still be open by then. Kevin Rutherford (talk) 04:39, 31 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  3. I'm interested, recently graduated from UC Berkeley with a geography degree. Most of my outreach work has focused on the education program, but I've been branching out in to GLAM work as well (and went to the recent GLAM camp in DC.) I am quite familiar with the cochrane collaboration and frequently make use of their reviews. Most of my background in medicine (unfortunately) comes from having a rare disease, though I have some coursework in both medicine and science (and lots of enthusiasm.) My editing doesn't focus in medical areas, but I have a thorough understanding of MEDRS and related policies. Kevin Gorman (talk) 17:03, 10 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  4. I would like to hear more. Thanks. Biosthmors (talk) 14:19, 22 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  5. I'm interested, thank you! Keilana|Parlez ici 16:48, 22 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  6. Interested in hearing more. I'm a medical student currently on leave (originally scheduled to graduate in 2015). I also have some experience teaching other medfolk about WP. Happy to fill in more details, including CV, after hearing more, particularly about the timeframe. -- UseTheCommandLine ~/talk ]# ▄ 03:41, 23 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  7. I would be interested to hear more. Thanks! --Zoeperkoe (talk) 11:06, 26 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  8. Taketa (talk) 17:40, 29 August 2013 (UTC) - I am interested in more information. I am a medical intern from the Netherlands, and teach resuscitation at my university for a living. I have been an editor since 2008, with over 40,000 edits and over 5,000 articles. I help at the local medical helpdesk, which I co-founded. On the Dutch Wikipedia I am a moderator and bureaucrat since 4,5 years, former arbcom member and I am a volunteer for the Dutch and English OTRS permissions system. I am familiar with basic Wiki sources and templates however I have no ICT background. I have been to Wikimania conventions in Israel and Washington and have no problem with traveling.[reply]
  9. i,m Nursing & health researcher , I would be interested to hear more. now is basic user in COCHRANE Thanks! فلورانس (talk) 11:07, 30 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  10. I would also be interested in hearing more. Arcadian (talk) 02:02, 4 September 2013 (UTC)hi[reply]
  11. This sounds very interesting and matches up well with my skill set... I am interested in hearing more! Zad68 13:58, 27 September 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  12. I'm really interested to hear more. I'm a nurse, adjunct professor at school of nursing in ICT. FranciaioI'm listening 11:23, 30 September 2013 (UTC)
  13. I'm currently an MSc - Public Health Student at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. I was initially involved in co-ordinating this project. We had published an editorial on The Cochrane Library based on this idea (see here). I am quite familiar with Wikipedia and well versed in using systematic reviews in decision making. Would be happy to become the WIR for this project. Manu Mathew (talk)
  14. I'm just finishing a term as the Metropolitan New York Library Council's Wikipedian-in-Residence and am looking for an opportunity to continue with Wikipedia outreach, article development, and strategic planning. OR drohowa (talk) 21:15, 11 December 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  15. I am interested in all of the functions described, but I have doubts about my continuous time availability. If it's possible to help out pro bono as I am available, please contact me on my talk page. I'm happy to provide more information. If not, then I understand. --Officiallyover (talk) 02:27, 13 January 2014 (UTC)[reply]