Journal Club Summary 2020

Journal club (JC) is an integral part of postgraduate medical education. Although several innovations have been attempted to improve its effectiveness, the influence of the number of sessions remains unexplored. The current study investigated the effect of the number of sessions (one vs. four) of conduction of journal club on critical appraisal skills of postgraduate students at two institutions. A quasi-experimental study was conducted comparing the effectiveness of JC in a one- versus four-session JC format using two objective tests: Critical Appraisal Skills Test (CAST) and Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (PICO) score. The degree of changes (pre-JC vs. post-JC session) after each format exposure, association of prescores to postscores, and correlation between the CAST and PICO scores were discerned. CAST score was higher in the four-session format ( P = 0.03), whereas PICO score increased in the single-session format of JC ( P = 0.03). Also, the change in CAST score was higher in the four-session versus single-session JC format ( P = 0.04). We conclude that a four-session format of JC is more effective in augmenting critical appraisal skills of postgraduate students, whereas a single session is sufficient for improving factual knowledge.

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A Moderated Journal Club Is More Effective than an Internet Journal Club in Teaching Critical Appraisal Skills: Results of a Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

Journal of the American College of Surgeons ◽

10.1016/j.jamcollsurg.2010.08.016 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 211 (6) ◽

pp. 769-776 ◽

Cited By ~ 35

Author(s):

Robin S. McLeod ◽

Helen M. MacRae ◽

Margaret E. McKenzie ◽

J. Charles Victor ◽

Karen J. Brasel

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Critical Appraisal ◽

Journal Club ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Critical Appraisal Skills

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Teaching practicing surgeons critical appraisal skills with an Internet-based journal club: a randomized, controlled trial

Surgery ◽

10.1016/j.surg.2004.02.003 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 136 (3) ◽

pp. 641-646 ◽

Cited By ~ 51

Author(s):

Helen M. MacRae ◽

Glenn Regehr ◽

Marg McKenzie ◽

Harry Henteleff ◽

Mark Taylor ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Randomized Controlled Trial ◽

Critical Appraisal ◽

Journal Club ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Randomized Controlled ◽

Critical Appraisal Skills

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Neurosurgical resident research education: a survey of United States residency program directors

Journal of Neurosurgery ◽

10.3171/2019.7.jns19632 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 133 (5) ◽

pp. 1527-1536

Author(s):

Jacob R. Lepard ◽

Christopher D. Shank ◽

Bonita S. Agee ◽

Mark N. Hadley ◽

Beverly C. Walters

Keyword(s):

Residency Program ◽

Critical Appraisal ◽

Training Programs ◽

Journal Club ◽

Program Directors ◽

Academic Productivity ◽

The Us ◽

Critical Appraisal Skills ◽

Residency Program Directors ◽

Neurosurgical Education

OBJECTIVEThe application of evidence-based medicine (EBM) has played an increasing role within neurosurgical education over the last several decades. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) has mandated that residents are now required to demonstrate academic productivity and mastery of EBM principles. The goal of this study was to assess how neurosurgery programs around the US are dealing with the challenges of fulfilling these program requirements from the ACGME in addition to standard neurosurgical education.METHODSA 20-question survey was developed and electronically delivered to residency program directors of the 110 ACGME-approved MD and DO training programs in the US. Data regarding journal club and critical appraisal skills, research requirements, and protected research time were collected. Linear regression was used to determine significant associations between these data and reported resident academic productivity.RESULTSResponses were received from 102 of the 110 (92.7%) neurosurgical training programs in the US. Ninety-eight programs (96.1%) confirmed a regularly scheduled journal club. Approximately half of programs (51.5%) indicated that the primary goal of their journal club was to promote critical appraisal skills. Only 58.4% of programs reported a formal EBM curriculum. In 57.4% of programs an annual resident publication requirement was confirmed. Multivariate regression models demonstrated that greater protected research time (p = 0.001), journal club facilitator with extensive training in research methods (p = 0.029), and earlier research participation during residency (p = 0.049) all increased the number of reported publications per resident.CONCLUSIONSAlthough specific measures are important, and should be tailored to the program, the overall training culture with faculty mentorship and provision of time and resources for research activity are probably the most important factors.

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