Journal Club Research Articles

MISEV2023 provides an updated and key reference for researchers studying the basic biology and applications of extracellular vesicles.

The recently published "Minimal information for studies of extracellular vesicles - 2023 (MISEV2023)" in the Journal of Extracellular Vesicles has provided practical solutions to the numerous challenges extracellular vesicles (EVs) researchers face. These guidelines are imperative for novice and experienced researchers and promote unity within the EV community. It is strongly recommended that laboratories working with EVs make MISEV2023 an essential handbook and that researchers actively promote these guidelines during laboratory meetings, journal clubs, seminars, workshops, and conferences. A collective effort from EV researchers is crucial to steer the progress of EV science in a positive direction.

Advanced endometrial cancer—The next generation of treatment: A society of gynecologic oncology journal club clinical commentary

In February of 2024, the Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO) hosted a journal club focused on new treatment options for the management of advanced and metastatic endometrial cancer. This clinical commentary is intended to provide a summary report of that presentation. The session described the importance of molecular characterization shown in the work of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The updated 2023 FIGO staging of endometrial cancer was reviewed. The panel then described the role of upfront immunotherapy for the treatment of advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer as demonstrated in four recent trials (RUBY, NRG-GY018, AtTEnd, and DUO-E studies). The DUO-E study uniquely examined the combination immunotherapy with a PARP inhibitor. The trials had unique differences in inclusion criteria, primary outcomes, and length of maintenance therapy, but all boasted similarly promising results particularly in mismatch repair deficient (dMMR) endometrial cancer. This era of rapid innovation in advanced and recurrent endometrial cancer will hopefully enhance individualized treatment approaches and improved outcomes for patients with endometrial cancer.

STOP-MSU: Is It Time to STOP-Tranexamic Acid?: July 2024 Annals of Emergency Medicine Journal Club

STOP-MSU: Is It Time to STOP-Tranexamic Acid?: July 2024 Annals of Emergency Medicine Journal Club

P046 The hidden generic curriculum: identifying and formalizing important soft skills for trainee dermatologists. A retrospective review of journal club experience (2022–2023)

P046 The hidden generic curriculum: identifying and formalizing important soft skills for trainee dermatologists. A retrospective review of journal club experience (2022–2023)

How to present and summarize a scientific journal article

The success of a journal club hinges on the presentation of articles that are both relevant and scientifically robust. It’s insufficient for presenters to merely read through an article and highlight a few points without a clear focus. A strong presentation should thoroughly describe the relevance and validity of the study, offer a critique, suggest how further research might address the issue, and discuss the implications for patient care. Selecting the right article is crucial. It is recommended to begin the presentation with a case scenario to emphasize the article’s clinical relevance and to revisit the case at the conclusion of the presentation. The components of the article presentation should include background information, methodology and results, and the authors’ discussion. Additionally, the presenter should critique the article’s validity, noting any potential biases, evaluating the risks and costs of the proposed intervention, and assessing how well the article supports its hypothesis. The presentation should conclude with a summary statement that includes conclusions, implications, and future directions. Having a structured process for journal club presentations guides presenters and ensures that attendees derive maximum benefit from the educational activity. This organized approach fosters a deeper understanding and encourages critical thinking among participants.

Intraoperative use of processed electroencephalogram in a quaternary center: a quality improvement audit.

Although intraoperative electroencephalography (EEG) is not consensual among anesthesiologists, growing evidence supports its use to titrate anesthetic drugs, assess the level of arousal/consciousness, and detect ischemic cerebrovascular events; in addition, intraoperative EEG monitoring may decrease the incidence of postoperative neurocognitive disorders. Based on the known and potential benefits of intraoperative EEG monitoring, an educational program dedicated to staff anesthesiologists, residents of Anesthesiology and anesthesia technicians was started at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi in May 2022 and completed in June 2022, aiming to have all patients undergoing general anesthesia with adequate brain monitoring and following international initiatives promoting perioperative brain health. All the surgical cases performed under General Anesthesia at 24 daily locations were prospectively inspected during 15 consecutive working days in March 2023. The use or absence of a processed EEG monitor was registered. Of 379 surgical cases distributed by 24 locations under General Anesthesia, 233 cases (61%) had processed EEG monitoring. The specialty with the highest use of EEG monitoring was Cardiothoracic Surgery, with 100% of cases, followed by interventional Cardiology (90%) and Vascular Surgery (75%). Otorhinolaryngology (29%), Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (25%), and Interventional Pulmonology (20%) were the areas with the lowest use of EEG monitoring. Of note, in the Neuroradiology suite, no processed EEG monitor was used in cases under General Anesthesia. We identified a reasonable use of EEG monitoring during general anesthesia, unfortunately not reaching our target of 100%. The educational and support program previously implemented within the Anesthesiology Institute needs to be continued and improved, including workshops, online discussions, and journal club sessions, to increase the use of EEG monitoring in underused areas.

Enhancing Understanding of Oncologic Topics: Evaluating the Impact of Preclinical Medical Student Journal Clubs

Enhancing Understanding of Oncologic Topics: Evaluating the Impact of Preclinical Medical Student Journal Clubs

Implementation of structured trauma training for first-year surgical residents in Ethiopia: a novel pilot program in a low income country.

Curricula for surgical residents should include training in trauma care; however, such training is absent in many low income countries. At the largest surgical training institution in Ethiopia, a trauma training program was developed, integrated into the existing surgical curriculum, and implemented. This study was conducted to evaluate the trainees' response to the new program. Over a 5-month period, 35 first-year surgical residents participated in weekly trauma care training sessions. The program included journal clubs, practical sessions, didactic sessions, and case-based discussions. Six months after the conclusion of the training, changes in knowledge, attitude, and practices were evaluated through a self-report survey. For knowledge-based items, the survey data revealed reported improvements in 83.8% to 96.8% of students. Furthermore, 90.3% to 93.5% of participants indicated improvements in practice, while 96.7% exhibited a change in attitude. Respondents reported that attending didactic courses improved their presentation skills and facilitated the acquisition of knowledge. They suggested the inclusion of additional practical sessions. Training structures that are simple to implement are crucial for residency programs with limited resources. Such programs can be developed using existing academic staff and can aid residents in delivering improved care to trauma patients.

Integrating effective journal club activities into knowledge management processes to enhance evidence-based practice, service quality, research skills, and innovation among nurses: A literature review

In a rapidly emerging world, knowledge management capabilities, including knowledge creation, acquisition, sharing, and utilization, become more critical for organizational change, growth, and competitiveness. Therefore, this article argues that organizations should consider implementing effective journal club meetings as an opportunity to acquire external knowledge, evaluate and integrate new knowledge into previous existing knowledge, and disseminate and utilize new knowledge to enhance product or service quality, innovation, and the performance of an organization. The article reviews relevant literature, proposes a framework for conducting effective journal club meetings, and aligns those activities with the knowledge management processes. The article proposes a framework for conducting effective journal club meetings and a process that integrates both journal club activities and the knowledge management process. By adopting this framework, journal club activities would be more effective in developing new knowledge management capabilities among individual members and enhancing organizational performance, i.e., implementing evidence-based practices (EBP), improving service quality, and producing research.

Ten recommendations for hosting a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) journal club

Ten recommendations for hosting a Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice (DEIJ) journal club

Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Program Websites: Assessing Information Gaps and Opportunities for Attracting Applicants.

The quality and volume of information on orthopaedic surgery residency program websites are helpful for informed decision making of prospective applicants. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the content on orthopaedic surgery residency program websites and identify areas for improvement. In November 2023, 203 orthopaedic surgery residency programs were reviewed using the Association of American Medical Colleges Residency Explorer tool. Fourteen nonfunctional websites were excluded, leaving n = 189. Websites were assessed for 11 variables: resources for assisting resident research (eg, biomechanics laboratory, research assistant, and advisors), residents' past institutional affiliations, current resident profiles (including hometown and interests), alumni data, fellowship matches, American Board of Orthopedic Surgery I/II pass rates, Alpha Omega Alpha Society affiliation, target United States Medical Licensing Examination/ Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Learning Exam Step 2 scores, educational activities (journal club, grand rounds, didactics), evaluation methods, and mentorship. Website variables differed markedly among identified program types, which included community programs, university programs (UPs), and affiliated programs (APs). Disparities were noted in the disclosure of residents' previous institutions ( P = 0.001), the availability of alumni names ( P = 0.001), research resources ( P = 0.001), academic activities ( P = 0.007), assigned mentorship programs ( P = 0.006), and fellowship match information ( P = 0.027). Notably, community programs shared statistically significantly less information in these areas compared with UPs and APs ( P = 0.001). While there was a proportionate sharing of information between UPs and APs, UPs exhibited a slightly higher overall percentage of websites sharing more detailed information. The quality and comprehensiveness of information on orthopaedic surgery residency program websites vary markedly. Most of the orthopaedic surgery residency programs provided information on residents' past institutions and academic activities. However, very few provided information on designated mentorship programs or objective measures such as target Step 2 examination scores and ABOS pass rates. Improving the quality of information available on program websites will enhance transparency and consistency, enabling prospective applicants to make more informed decisions about where to apply and interview.

A multicenter analysis of didactic curricula in a hematology oncology fellowship program.

9031 Background: Each hematology and oncology (H/O) fellowship program has a unique educational curriculum. Best practices about how to structure the curricula in H/O programs are limited. Here, we provide the results of a multicenter assessment to understand differences in H/O fellowship didactic curricula. Methods: H/O fellows were recruited via email to be site coordinators (SC) for a multicenter study investigating H/O educational experiences. In total, we identified SCs at 27 unique programs who enrolled in the study with leadership approval. Each SC received a REDCAP survey in which they granularly described their didactic curriculum. We present descriptive statistics from this background assessment sub-study. Results: There was even geographic distribution of the programs. Programs varied in size with median 16 fellows (range 4-33). Most (71%) reported that disease-specific didactic lectures were sporadically distributed throughout the year instead of being organized into blocks by disease type. For malignant H/O, the majority (93%) had disease-specific faculty deliver the lectures. For classical hematology, 18 SCs (64%) reported most lectures were given by topic experts, however 10 noted most lectures were given by fellows (22%) or program leadership (14%). Only 1 program had access to a curated didactic series for disease specific outpatient clinic experiences. Formal journal club (JC) was included in 24 programs (86%) while 3 programs had no JC and 1 had sporadic JC on certain rotations. Only 4 (17%) had statisticians present at any JC. Introductory statistic lectures were given at 8 programs (28%). Of these, 5 had one lecture, 2 had two lectures, and 1 had a formal 5 lecture series. Most programs (79%) integrated a board-review series. Reading assignments were not included in didactics by most programs (61%). A total of 23 programs (82%) recommended access to online videos while 5 (18%) did not. None reported mandatory requirements for video use prior to lecture content. Amongst those with video access, 20 used ASH Review Series and 17 programs used MD Anderson Board Review Series. Only one program provided access and encouraged use of the ASCO Education Series. Conclusions: In this cross-sectional study, we found significant variation in the didactic structure at H/O fellowships across the country. Most programs have sporadic lecture topics as opposed to organized longitudinal block didactics. There were more content experts leading lectures for malignant H/O compared to classical hematology. Not all programs have formal JC in their curriculum with only 4 programs involving a statistician. Few programs provide formal lectures in statistics. Access to online review videos is variable and only one program had recommended access to ASCO video resources. Further research is needed to identify best practices and establish uniformity in didactic curricula for H/O trainees.

Journal club: JAK inhibitors and safety.

Journal club: JAK inhibitors and safety.

Next skilling talent for the intelligent automation revolution

The increased use of intelligent automation (IA) is challenging organisations to rethink their business models and focus on agility, consumer centricity, innovation and operations excellence. Recognising the global impact of COVID-19, rapid changes in technology, data-driven decision-making and competition for differentiated talent, the Department of Management Engineering and Consulting (ME&C) prioritised the next skilling of talent to proactively prepare for the increased use of IA. This paper discusses our strategic approach, best practice interventions and diversity of methods to prepare ME&C staff. In alignment with Mayo Clinic’s new strategy to the year 2030, which is a catalyst for staff to develop the skills needed to transform healthcare, ME&C leveraged the 70-20-10 model for learning and development. Various next skilling interventions were adopted to disseminate knowledge and accelerate skill building across the IA continuum of discovery, translation and application. Commercial digital offerings were used, and various Mayo Clinic offerings (eg a series of artificial intelligence [AI] seminars, a journal club and an IA community of practice) were introduced. A crowdsourcing website was created to promote learnings focused on industry insights on AI, robotics, cloud computing, digital transformation and platform scalability. ME&C staff engaged with multidisciplinary teams on the execution of IA strategic priorities. Through diverse interventions, ME&C validated the importance of experimenting, learning from experiences (inside and outside Mayo Clinic) and developing reusable assets such as frameworks and playbooks. While engaging in initiatives that covered a constellation of technologies, staff learnt about the applied value of emerging technologies, business implications and considerations for consumer and staff experiences. We believe that our project will inform other organisations in their quest to build IA capabilities to accelerate business transformation while developing talent.

Tailored psychological intervention for anxiety or depression in COPD (TANDEM): Online X-based journal club discussion from @respandsleepjc

Tailored psychological intervention for anxiety or depression in COPD (TANDEM): Online X-based journal club discussion from @respandsleepjc

Multiple Mini Journal Clubs to Improve Malaysian Trainee Psychiatrists' Critical Appraisal Skills

Multiple Mini Journal Clubs to Improve Malaysian Trainee Psychiatrists' Critical Appraisal Skills

Developing linguistics educators: A qualitative study of graduate linguist professional development

Abstract: In this article, we report on findings from an ongoing study of graduate students in linguistics regarding the approaches they take to develop as professional educators and how faculty and programs in linguistics can better support graduate student teaching professionalization. In focus groups with current linguistics graduate students, we identified three key themes: formal institutional training, mentor relationships (i.e. instructor and TA relationships), and peer relationships. Mentor relationships provide students with a range of experiences and degrees of support across faculty, which influences how they develop as educators. Peer socialization is also a critical component of growth and well-being, providing graduate student teachers with both practical guidance and ongoing emotional support. We illustrate this point with a case study—a weekly teaching journal club for graduate students within our own Linguistics program, which became an important space for pedagogical development. While our results point to graduate student success and resilience through socialization, they also illustrate a common issue of professionalization in academia: students gain professional skills through noninstitutional mechanisms. Teaching professionalization largely falls to the ‘hidden curriculum’, which puts students at a disadvantage, especially those from minoritized backgrounds (Smith 2013). We join other scholars in our field in calling for greater institutionalized mechanisms for professionalization to promote equitable access to vital skills for graduate students (Calhoun 2020). To that end, we conclude by suggesting ways in which faculty and departments can close this gap in graduate training.

P472 Exercise education for professionals in cystic fibrosis: an international journal club

P472 Exercise education for professionals in cystic fibrosis: an international journal club

CTP for the Screening of Vasospasm and Delayed Cerebral Ischemia in Aneurysmal SAH: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Delayed cerebral ischemia and vasospasm are the most common causes of late morbidity following aneurysmal SAH, but their diagnosis remains challenging. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the diagnostic performance of CTP for detection of delayed cerebral ischemia and vasospasm in the setting of aneurysmal SAH. Studies evaluating the diagnostic performance of CTP in the setting of aneurysmal SAH were searched on the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Clinical Answers, Cochrane Methodology Register, Ovid MEDLINE, EMBASE, American College of Physicians Journal Club, Database of Abstracts of Reviews of Effects, Health Technology Assessment, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database, PubMed, and Google Scholar from their inception to September 2023. Thirty studies were included, encompassing 1786 patients with aneurysmal SAH and 2302 CTP studies. Studies were included if they compared the diagnostic accuracy of CTP with a reference standard (clinical or radiologic delayed cerebral ischemia, angiographic spasm) for the detection of delayed cerebral ischemia or vasospasm in patients with aneurysmal SAH. The primary outcome was accuracy for the detection of delayed cerebral ischemia or vasospasm. Bivariate random effects models were used to pool outcomes for sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio, and negative likelihood ratio. Subgroup analyses for individual CTP parameters and early-versus-late study timing were performed. Bias and applicability were assessed using the modified QUADAS-2 tool. For assessment of delayed cerebral ischemia, CTP demonstrated a pooled sensitivity of 82.1% (95% CI, 74.5%-87.8%), specificity of 79.6% (95% CI, 73.0%-84.9%), positive likelihood ratio of 4.01 (95% CI, 2.94-5.47), and negative likelihood ratio of 0.23 (95% CI, 0.12-0.33). For assessment of vasospasm, CTP showed a pooled sensitivity of 85.6% (95% CI, 74.2%-92.5%), specificity of 87.9% (95% CI, 79.2%-93.3%), positive likelihood ratio of 7.10 (95% CI, 3.87-13.04), and negative likelihood ratio of 0.16 (95% CI, 0.09-0.31). QUADAS-2 assessment identified 12 articles with low risk, 11 with moderate risk, and 7 with a high risk of bias. For delayed cerebral ischemia, CTP had a sensitivity of >80%, specificity of >75%, and a low negative likelihood ratio of 0.23. CTP had better performance for the detection of vasospasm, with sensitivity and specificity of >85% and a low negative likelihood ratio of 0.16. Although the accuracy offers the potential for CTP to be used in limited clinical contexts, standardization of CTP techniques and high-quality randomized trials evaluating its impact are required.

Radiation Oncology Resident Education: Is Change Needed?

Leading successful change efforts first requires assessment of the "before change" environment and culture. At our institution, the radiation oncology (RO) residents follow a longitudinal didactic learning program consisting of weekly 1-h lectures, case conferences, and journal clubs. The resident didactic education series format has not changed since its inception over 10years ago. We evaluated the perceptions of current residents and faculty about the effectiveness of the curriculum in its present form. Two parallel surveys were designed, one each for residents and attendings, to assess current attitudes regarding the effectiveness and need for change in the RO residency curriculum, specifically the traditional didactic lectures, the journal club sessions, and the case conferences. We also investigated perceived levels of engagement among residents and faculty, whether self-assessments would be useful to increase material retention, and how often the content of didactic lectures is updated. Surveys were distributed individually to each resident (N = 10) and attending (N = 24) either in-person or via Zoom. Following completion of the survey, respondents were informally interviewed about their perspectives on the curriculum's strengths and weaknesses. Compared to 46% of attendings, 80% of RO residents believed that the curriculum should be changed. Twenty percent of residents felt that the traditional didactic lectures were effective in preparing them to manage patients in the clinic, compared to 74% of attendings. Similarly, 10% of residents felt that the journal club sessions were effective vs. 42% of attendings. Finally, 40% of residents felt that the case conferences were effective vs. 67% of attendings. Overall, most respondents (56%) favored change in the curriculum. Our results suggest that the perceptions of the residents did not align with those of the attending physicians with respect to the effectiveness of the curriculum and the need for change. The discrepancies between resident and faculty views highlight the importance of a dedicated change management effort to mitigate this gap. Based on this project, we plan to propose recommended changes in structure to the residency program directors. Main changes would be to increase the interactive nature of the course material, incorporate more ways to increase faculty engagement, and consider self-assessment questions to promote retention. Once we get approval from the residency program leadership, we will follow Kotter's "Eight steps to transforming your organization" to ensure the highest potential for faculty to accept the expectations of a new curriculum.