Jeffery Wagner, Kelly Thormodson
Background As medical education increasingly integrates digital learning platforms for board exam preparation, a disconnect often arises between institutional resource allocation and the evolving needs of students, highlighting a critical gap in educational support systems. When budget constraints forced the Harrell Health Sciences Library at Penn State University’s College of Medicine to cancel the widely used educational platform Osmosis, due to a 149% price increase, students felt the loss acutely. Through collaborative advocacy involving students, library faculty, administration, and finance departments, and with the discovery of additional funds from the College of Medicine Office of Medical Education, Osmosis was successfully reinstated and UWorld was added as a new resource.Objectives This case report examines a nineteen-month student-led initiative to reinstate Osmosis and introduce additional medical education resources through evidence-based advocacy, highlighting the collaborative partnership between students and library faculty.Methods Students organized a peer survey, achieving over 50% participation, far exceeding previous institutional survey response rates. They then presented data-driven proposals to administration through formal channels, including curriculum meetings. Library faculty actively supported this initiative by encouraging student organization, facilitating vendor negotiations, working with finance departments to identify funding sources, and creating formal presentation opportunities. The initiative involved multi-stakeholder collaboration among students, library staff, administration, and finance departments.Results Students successfully achieved reinstatement of Osmosis and the introduction of a new resource called UWorld. The College of Medicine’s Office of Medical Education provided additional funds beyond the library’s budget, enabling both resources to be implemented simultaneously. The initiative demonstrated that organized student advocacy, when supported by institutional partners and backed by robust evidence, could effectively influence resource allocation decisions and unlock funding streams beyond traditional library budgets.Conclusions This case illustrates the power of student-led advocacy in medical education and offers valuable lessons for academic libraries regarding student engagement, transparent communication, collaborative decision-making in resource allocation, and the potential for student advocacy to mobilize institutional funding partners beyond the library’s own budget.