Redesigning Journal Club to Improve Participant Satisfaction and Education

Abstract

Journal clubs are a fundamental part of medical training that allow residents and faculty to critically analyze literature, keep up-to-date with new advancements, and implement evidence-based medicine. The aim of this study was to describe one otolaryngology residency program's efforts towards reformatting its journal club, evaluate how well the re-designed format enabled participants to achieve journal club goals compared to the prior format, and assess faculty and resident qualitative perceptions of both formats. An 11-question survey was sent to all department faculty and residents to obtain feedback regarding the original journal club format. The results of this initial survey were then used to redesign the journal club format, which consisted of 3 rotating session types: evidence-based, deep-dive, and landmark. A 6-month pilot program using the redesigned format was implemented, and surveys were sent at the halfway mark and at the conclusion of the pilot to evaluate the effectiveness of these format changes. A single academic center with an otolaryngology residency program PARTICIPANTS: : Residents and faculty in the department of otolaryngology RESULTS: Compared to the original format, the 6-month pilot demonstrated a more consistent attainment of journal club goals and a near-unanimous preference for the new format. This preference was consistent among both faculty (90.9%) and residents (89%). All respondents agreed that the intended goals of journal club were more frequently met under the revamped format, and statistically significant differences in approval rate were observed in the specific areas of critically assessing the literature, highlighting new findings, and translating forefront knowledge. The overall time required to prepare for sessions was lower for faculty, and higher for residents. The findings from this study help to support programmatic efforts towards redesigning journal clubs with the goals of improving participant satisfaction and educational benefit. With the paucity of data in the literature evaluating journal club format overhauls, this study provides compelling evidence for programs to perform similar assessments and consider redesigns if warranted.