Journal Club Research Articles

Effect of Social Media on Medical College Students

Social media has transformed medical education, offering various benefits such as access to diverse learning resources, collaboration opportunities, and networking with professionals worldwide. It's indeed a double-edged sword, offering both benefits and drawbacks. On one hand, social media provides a convenient platform for accessing study materials, communicating with peers, and even engaging with instructors and academic resources. It can foster collaboration, critical thinking, and knowledge sharing. Platforms like Twitter work particularly well for delivering journal clubs and Tweetorials because they permit live global participation. Furthermore, it provides a level of informality that makes experts easier to reach, regardless of status or seniority.

Perceived opportunities of clinical reasoning learning in postgraduate psychiatry training: Trainees' and faculty's perspectives.

Learning clinical reasoning is less effective in isolation of clinical environments because contextual factors are a significant component in the clinical reasoning process. This study investigated the differences in opinions between novice and expert clinicians on learning clinical reasoning in the workplace. The author used a cross-sectional online survey design to investigate the perceived learning of six clinical reasoning skills in 13 learning opportunities. Questionnaires were emailed to 41 postgraduate psychiatry trainee doctors and 37 faculty members. Data were analyzed descriptively. The Chi-square test was used to compare the responses of the two groups. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. The combined response rate was 73.07%. The two groups perceived the learning of advanced clinical reasoning skills to be lower than that of basic skills. There were significant differences in the perceived learning of basic clinical reasoning skills in self-study/exam preparations (P = 0.032), general hospital grand rounds (P = 0.049), and clinical rounds (P = 0.024 for consultant-led rounds and P = 0.038 for senior peer-led rounds). There were also significant differences in the perceived learning of advanced clinical reasoning skills among peer-led tutorials (P = 0.04), journal clubs (P = 0.006), morning reports (P = 0.002), and on-call duties (P = 0.031). The trainees showed a significant preference for structured learning environments rather than clinical environments, especially for advanced clinical reasoning skills. Trainees likely struggled with cognitive overload in clinical environments. Local postgraduate psychiatry programs will likely benefit from implementing multiple educational interventions that facilitate teaching and learning clinical reasoning in complex clinical environments.

The development and evaluation of an online journal club: perspectives from student participants and practitioners

ABSTRACT The coronavirus pandemic which began during the 2019/2020 academic calendar has had a significant impact on many educational providers. The Open University, UK, the largest distance tertiary provider in Europe, is ideally placed to share its experience in online and distance education. This paper outlines the use of the Online Journal Club (OJC) as a mechanism for increasing student ownership of learning within the context of an online academic community. OJCs provide an informal, low-risk environment for students to share topics of interest with fellow students, whilst practitioners step back from their traditional roles. Our findings indicate that OJCs provide an enriching and authentic experience for distance learning students, developing academic and employability skills, including digital and information literacy and communication skills. Furthermore, OJCs can act as a potentially transformative experience for practitioners.

Simulation-based interprofessional education for teaching evidence-based medical practice.

Objective: To achieve consensus on opinions of expert medical educationist on utilization of simulation-based interprofessional education as teaching strategy for evidence based practice teaching in undergraduate medical education. Study Design: Qualitative Case study. Setting: Bahria University Health Sciences Campus. Period: March 2023 to August 2023. Methods: Research using modified Delphi technique was done under ERC 16/2023-BUMDC. Communities of practice and transformative learning theory were used for guiding research design. Non-probability, snow-ball sampling technique was used to select expert panel as participants. Inclusion criteria were medical educationist with masters in health professional education and ten year of experience in department of medical education. Content analysis was used for analyzing data and atlas ti-9 was used for organizing data collected through online email interviews. Results: Final consensus of participants was attained on, third year, Simulation-based interprofessional education/ Assignments/ Journal Clubs/Case-based discussions, Fourth year, Simulation-based interprofessional education/ Journal Clubs/Case-based discussions, Content: Final year, Simulation-based interprofessional education/ Clinical setting/ Journal Clubs. Conclusion: Expert showed ninety percent consensus that simulation-based interprofessional education is good teaching strategies for teaching evidence –based practice in undergraduate medical.

Experience From an Early Exposure Education Program in Radiation Oncology for High School and Undergraduate Students

Exposure to radiation oncology (RO), which is a small and highly subspecialized field of oncology, during undergraduate or medical education is often limited. Coupled with reduced elective exposures during the COVID-19 pandemic, unsubstantiated concerns regarding the RO job market have led to a noticeable decline in residency applications and medical students who express an interest in the field. Here, we describe a summer education program piloted in our RO department at a comprehensive cancer center to provide premedical school students (ranging from high school to postbaccalaureate) early exposure to the specialty through clinical shadowing, research opportunities, journal club, and formal didactic lectures. Pre- and postprogram surveys were administered to these students to evaluate the change in knowledge in RO. A total of 8 students participated in the program. We found an increase in understanding of the specialty, high levels of interest in considering RO as a career, and positive feedback regarding the program overall. This study supports the role of early exposure and education in stimulating interest in future medical students to pursue RO as a career. Future efforts are needed to further develop and evaluate these education programs as well as disseminate the program more broadly.

Conducting journal clubs in the form of a flipped classroom: future prospects in medical education

Conducting journal clubs in the form of a flipped classroom: future prospects in medical education

Interprofessional Faculty Development on Health Disparities: Engineering a Crossover “Jigsaw” Journal Club

Medical education acknowledges our need to teach our physicians about “social determinants of health” and “health care disparities”. However, educators often lack actionable training to address this need. We describe a faculty development activity, a health disparities journal club, using the jigsaw strategy with the intent of increasing awareness, encouraging self-directed learning, and inspiring future teaching of the subject to health professional learners. We completed six workshops at six individual hospitals, with 95 total attendees in medicine and numerous other health professions. Our evaluation asked trainees to: report the number of journal articles about health disparities they had read, excluding the assigned journal club articles, in the past 12 months, and to predict future plans for reading about health disparities. In total, 28.9% responded they had “never read” a prior article on health or healthcare disparities, while 54.2% responded “1–5 articles”. Many (60%) reported they would continue to investigate this topic. Our experience has demonstrated the utility and positive impact of a “flipped classroom” jigsaw method, showing it can be used successfully in Inter-Professional (IPE) Faculty Development to increase active exposure and discussion of the content. Additionally, this method promotes individual reflection and enhances continued collective engagement.

Occupational therapy students’ experiences and perceptions of journal club participation

Background Journal clubs can be used as a learning activity for developing students’ skills in critical appraisal and are perceived as suitable for increasing students’ exposure to research methods. Aims/objectives To explore how undergraduate occupational therapy students experienced journal club and how they perceived their learning outcomes from participating in this learning activity. Materials and methods A mixed methods study comprised of a survey followed by two focus groups was conducted. Seventeen occupational therapy students completed the survey, four of whom also participated in a total of two focus groups. Results The participants perceived journal clubs as suitable and they suggested that emphasis on this learning activity be increased. Across the two focus groups, four integrated themes were identified: ‘organisational prerequisites’; ‘potential for learning’; ‘learning barriers’; and ‘journal club as an integrated learning activity’. Conclusions and significance Journal clubs were described as having the potential for increasing students’ learning regarding research methods, promoting skills in reading and critically reviewing research articles and having relevance for professional practice. Some barriers were identified, and changes are suggested for future educational practice.

Breaking down barriers: promoting journals beyond the page with open access journal clubs.

In 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, the British Journal of Psychiatry (BJPsych) established a series of free online teaching sessions called BJPsych Journal Clubs. Their educational purpose is two-fold: (a) to provide junior psychiatrists with a friendly but large-scale platform to evaluate and critically appraise recent articles published in the BJPsych and (b) to present new research findings in an open and accessible manner. In this paper, we discuss our framework, the challenges we encountered, how the original model is evolving based on feedback from trainees, and tips for success when delivering international online journal clubs.

Knowledge, Efficacy, and Attitude towards a New Journal Club Initiative of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry

Knowledge, Efficacy, and Attitude towards a New Journal Club Initiative of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry

“Supporting Mathematics Instruction Through Community”

From the Archives highlights articles from NCTM’s legacy journals, previously discussed during MTLT Journal Club.

Interprofessional Collaborative Practice in Professional and Residency Athletic Training Programs: A Report from the Association of Athletic Training Education Research Network

Context Interprofessional collaborative practice (IPCP) is a required component of athletic training education, yet more needs to be learned about how professional and residency programs integrate IPCP into their curricula. Objective Identify current strategies used in the integration, assessment, and quality of IPCP clinical experiences in athletic training programs. Design Cross-sectional survey. Patients or Other Participants Forty-two of the 288 (14.6% response rate) invited individuals participated. All reported being faculty members affiliated with a professional or residency athletic training program. Data Collection and Analysis The IPCP implementation and assessment was e-mailed to all accredited professional and residency program directors to evaluate: (1) institutional or organizational support for and integration of IPCP; (2) faculty, learner, or preceptor preparation for IPCP engagement; and (3) tools for assessment and quality of IPCP experiences. Survey instrumentation was validated through peer and expert review. Descriptive statistics were calculated for quantitative data, and open coding was used to analyze open-ended questions. Results Respondents reported favorable support from their institution or organization (administrative, financial, and organizational structure) to integrate IPCP experiences. The most common methods for IPCP implementation included clinical simulations (n = 22, 22.9%), grand rounds (n = 13, 13.5%), morbidity and mortality conferences (n = 3, 3.1%), journal clubs (n = 6, 6.3%), direct patient care (n = 14, 14.9%), and intentional clinical education experiences (n = 28, 29.2%). Respondents reported formal IPCP training for faculty (n = 7, 16.7%) and learners (n = 23, 54.8%) but not for preceptors (n = 25, 73.5%). While programs assess their learners’ IPCP experiences (n = 25, 59.5%), the quality of those experiences is not formally captured (n = 19, 45.2%). Conclusion(s) Interprofessional collaborative practice experiences within athletic training education continue to evolve. As such, in this study, we highlight the need for formalized training in IPCP for faculty, learners, and preceptors. Additionally, program faculty should consider implementing quality assessments of IPCP experiences to assess the quality and degree to which learners experience interprofessional collaboration.

Mental Health and Well-being of Healthcare Professionals Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic in Canada

Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic posed unique challenges to healthcare professionals (HCPs) with increased risk of mental health and well-being globally. However, the psychological impact of the pandemic on the mental health and well-being of HCPs in Canada is not fully understood. This paper critically reviews broadly available literature on the mental health and psychosocial status of HCPs amid the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada. Methods: A comprehensive online search was conducted using the guidelines outlined by the Centre for Reviews and Dissemination for combining the findings of diverse primary studies within a single review. Online search was conducted through databases such as AMED (Allied and Complementary Medicine), Embase, Global Health, Ovid Healthstar, Mental Measurements Yearbook, EBM Reviews - ACP Journal Club, EBM Reviews - Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Ovid MEDLINE(R) and Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process, In-Data-Review, and Google Scholar for the period between March 2020 and May 2023. Twenty-two studies met the inclusion criteria and were analyzed systematically using a thematic analysis approach to identify the main themes across studies. Results: The analysis uncovers three key themes: 1) HCPs face diverse mental health impacts during the pandemic; 2) HCPs are dissatisfied with organizational approaches to COVID-19; and 3) HCPs express concerns about personal well-being and the safety of others during the pandemic. Conclusion: These findings emphasize the need for HCPs to cope effectively with stressors for their own, their patients, and their families' well-being. Therefore, future research should prioritize the ways in which HCPs can maintain their emotional, mental, and psychological well-being.

JPEN Journal Club 83. Selecting trials to include in a systematic review.

JPEN Journal Club 83. Selecting trials to include in a systematic review.

Running a successful STEMM summer program: A week-by-week guide.

While some established undergraduate summer programs are effective across many institutions, these programs may only be available to some principal investigators or may not fully address the diverse needs of incoming undergraduates. This article outlines a 10-week science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) education program designed to prepare undergraduate students for graduate school through a unique model incorporating mentoring dyads and triads, cultural exchanges, and diverse activities while emphasizing critical thinking, research skills, and cultural sensitivity. Specifically, we offer a straightforward and adaptable guide that we have used for mentoring undergraduate students in a laboratory focused on mitochondria and microscopy, but which may be customized for other disciplines. Key components include self-guided projects, journal clubs, various weekly activities such as mindfulness training and laboratory techniques, and a focus on individual and cultural expression. Beyond this unique format, this 10-week program also seeks to offer an intensive research program that emulates graduate-level experiences, offering an immersive environment for personal and professional development, which has led to numerous achievements for past students, including publications and award-winning posters.

The better health club: A model for global, interdisciplinary learning in lifestyle medicine

AbstractContemporary students increasingly benefit from non‐hierarchical education, including peer‐led work, which moves beyond more ridged traditional educational structures. Such approaches encourage engagement, two‐way communication, diversity of thought and collaboration. This piece shares the stories and experiences of students with a shared interest in health promotion and lifestyle medicine who took part in a peer‐led, internationally based online student group. The forum aimed to provide a space for students to explore and discuss diverse topics within the health sphere in an attempt to bridge the gap between areas of expertise and education. The group capitalised on the normalisation of remote video meetings following the COVID‐19 pandemic to bring together a small group of diverse students from across the globe on a weekly basis for journal clubs, presentations, debates and guest lectures. Group member feedback was obtained and highlighted key gaps in much traditional education, which the group addressed. These included moving beyond educational and research silos, the importance of preventative health approaches and the need for more judgement‐free and inclusive learning environments. Alignment with the current health landscape and potential for scaling the group format more widely is discussed. The article concludes by emphasising the advantages of this approach in fostering a network of learners prepared to tackle future health challenges.

Development of Virtual Journal Club for Nurses in Improving Evidence-based Practice

Undoubtedly, Evidence-based Practice (EBP) contributes to enhanced patient outcomes, with nurses being the largest healthcare provider group. Especially in cases of poor patient prognosis, treatment decisions are often influenced by colleagues' successful approaches. Journal clubs prove effective in various learning outcomes, including enhancing knowledge, critical appraisal skills, perceived reading habits, and reading behavior. Virtual Journal Clubs (vJCs) have greater potential to address time constraints, low participant attendance, and other minor obstacles compared to traditional face-to-face journal clubs. Nurses' impact on promoting evidence-based practice is consistent across aspects such as improved knowledge, critical appraisal skills, research utilization skills, interest in conducting research, and nursing skills.

Exploring the neurosurgery training landscape in Pakistan: A trainee's perspective in resource-limited settings

BackgroundShortage of neurosurgeons in Pakistan, one per 720,000 people, stems from a lack of trainees. Therefore, it is vital to assess the training experience, career opportunities, and satisfaction levels of neurosurgical trainees in Pakistan. MethodsA nationwide survey was conducted, covering 22 CPSP-accredited neurosurgery training programs in Pakistan. Convenience sampling was utilized with a pilot tested questionnaire and responses were analyzed using STATA 15. ResultsThe response rate was 98% (120/122) with 70.8% male and mean age of 30.4 ± 4.1 years. Training programs included teaching courses (79%) and journal club (66%); however, there was a lack of cadaver workshops (14%) and cranial model-based stimulation (22%). 67% of trainees lacked publications in indexed journals. 69% worked 50–100 h weekly, with 62% experiencing burnout due to workload and hours and a third reporting poor work-life balance. Trainees dedicated more to operating rooms (37%, 10–24 h/week) and clinics (34%, 24–48 h/week) compared to study (42%, <5 h/week) and research (64%, <5 h/week). Gender equality was rated poorly by 50%. Disparities emerged in subspecialty exposure, with over half of trainees lacking exposure to deep brain stimulation (67%), and epilepsy (75%). 52.5% of the training institutes did not offer fellowships and 64.1% of trainees planned to pursue fellowships abroad. ConclusionsSteps need to be taken to improve working hours, gender equity, and increase simulation courses, diversify subspecialty exposure, and promote research initiatives.

Preparing healthcare leaders of the digital age with an integrative artificial intelligence curriculum: a pilot study

ABSTRACT Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly being introduced into the clinical workflow of many specialties. Despite the need to train physicians who understand the utility and implications of AI and mitigate a growing skills gap, no established consensus exists on how to best introduce AI concepts to medical students during preclinical training. This study examined the effectiveness of a pilot Digital Health Scholars (DHS) non-credit enrichment elective that paralleled the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine’s first-year preclinical curriculum with a focus on introducing AI algorithms and their applications in the concurrently occurring systems-blocks. From September 2022 to March 2023, ten self-selected first-year students enrolled in the elective curriculum run in parallel with four existing curricular blocks (Immunology, Hematology, Cardiology, and Pulmonology). Each DHS block consisted of a journal club, a live-coding demonstration, and an integration session led by a researcher in that field. Students’ confidence in explaining the content objectives (high-level knowledge, implications, and limitations of AI) was measured before and after each block and compared using Mann-Whitney U tests. Students reported significant increases in confidence in describing the content objectives after all four blocks (Immunology: U = 4.5, p = 0.030; Hematology: U = 1.0, p = 0.009; Cardiology: U = 4.0, p = 0.019; Pulmonology: U = 4.0, p = 0.030) as well as an average overall satisfaction level of 4.29/5 in rating the curriculum content. Our study demonstrates that a digital health enrichment elective that runs in parallel to an institution’s preclinical curriculum and embeds AI concepts into relevant clinical topics can enhance students’ confidence in describing the content objectives that pertain to high-level algorithmic understanding, implications, and limitations of the studied models. Building on this elective curricular design, further studies with a larger enrollment can help determine the most effective approach in preparing future physicians for the AI-enhanced clinical workflow.

Creation of a National Emergency Medicine Medical Education Journal Club.

Background There are a relatively limited number of emergency medicine (EM) medical education (MedEd) fellowships with few trainees at each program, creating barriers to local collaboration and networking. While best practices for developing MedEd journal clubs exist, there has not been an established national EM MedEd journal club. To address this need, we created a national journal club, the Council of Residency Directors (CORD) MedEd Journal Club (MEJC), to facilitate collaboration and networking opportunities by providing a synchronous online journal club. Objectives Our primary objective was to create a network for collaboration across geographical barriers to form a virtual community of practice (CoP) around the shared domain of evidence-based MedEd. Our secondary objective was to improve MedEd fellows' knowledge, skills, and attitudes surrounding MedEd research. Tertiary objectives included (1) broadening fellow exposure to key topics within MedEd, (2) describing how to develop scholarly work within MedEd, and (3) filling a perceived need for building a national MedEd virtual CoP. Curricular design The concept and objectives of the CORD MEJC were introduced to fellows and fellowship directors through a national listserv in March of 2022. Fellows volunteered to lead virtual sessions via Zoom on a monthly basis. Session fellow leaders independently chose the topics and were asked to submit two to three journal club articles discussing the topic at least two weeks in advance of each session. No topics were repeated throughout the academic year. Impact/effectiveness Our quality improvement survey results indicated that the CORD MEJC is meeting its primary and secondary objectives. Survey results will be utilized as part of a continuous quality improvement initiative to enhance our program structure and curricula for the 2023-2024 academic year.