1. Launch of Journal Club
Internal Medicine Department
Sultan Bin Abdul Aziz Humanitarian City
Dr Omer Khan
Medical Resident

3. Journal Club
A journal club is a group of individuals who meet
regularly to critically evaluate recent articles in
the academic literature, generally of some branch
of science or philosophy.
Journal clubs are usually organized around a defined
subject in basic or applied research.
For example,
Application of evidence-based medicine to some area of
medical practice can be facilitated by a journal club

4. Journal Club
“The ability to actually appraise and present an
academic paper is a competency required of
any post graduate or trainee doctor”

5. Presentaion Overview
Benefits of
attending a
journal club
Characteristics
common to
successful
journal clubs
Framework for
preparing
presentations
for a journal
club
Outline of
proposals for
journal club at
SBAHC

6. Why Attend Journal Clubs?
Allow academic debate and networking between colleague of
varying seniority
Act as a vehicle for the application of evidence-based medicine
through continuing medical education
Journal clubs link research to clinical practice by encouraging
critical review of the current medical literature

7. Why Attend Journal Clubs?
By honing critical appraisal skills, competency is developed and
publications may follow in the form of letters to the editors
or papers developing research ideas stimulated by the articles
reviewed
To disscuss and appraise the medical literature help trainees to
develop their critical appraisal skills.

8. Recipe for a Successful Journal Club
Meetings are
held at regular
intervals (e.g.
monthly)
They are held
at a set time
convenient to
the members
Attendance is
compulsory
and an
attendance
register is held
The Attending
clinicians share
common
clinical
interests

9. Recipe for a Successful Journal Club
There is a nominated chairman
who possesses research
experience and is widely
respected
Role is to chair meetings as well
as guide club members in their
choice of journal articles
The club has a clear
purpose which is agreed
by the members and is
periodically reviewed

10. Recipe for a Successful Journal Club
The articles selected for
discussion are aligned with the
agreed 'overall aim' of the club
and of clinical relevance to the
member
The paper are read in good time
before the meeting
Circulating the subject matter by
email or the internet (social
media)

11. Recipe for a Successful Journal Club
Food is available at the meetings: the provision
of food at meetings is widely reported to
improve attendance.

12. Benefits of a Journal Club
Critical
appraisal
skills are
developed
Participants
keep abreast
of current
medical
literature
Research
literacy and
evidence-
based
practice are
developed

13. Benefits of a Journal Club
The needs of
continuing
medical
education
are met
Interview
skills are
developed
Academic
debate is
stimulated

14. Benefits of a Journal Club
Interdepartmental
social and
professional
networking takes
place
Publications ore
generated (e g.
letters to the
editor,.
further research)

15. Framework for presenting at the
Journal Club
• Physical meeting
• Powerpoint slides
• Pojecter
• Simple handouts
• House rules for timing, contents, duration
• Rehearsing the presentation
• Engaging and interactive environment
• May decide on a less formal discussion format
• Group Participation

16. • Aim is to convey essential information in a
concise manner using a standardized
structure

17. Critically appraising an article….

18. Introduction
• What clinical question prompted you to
consult the literature and what drew you to
the articles?

19. Author details
• Who wrote the paper?
• Affiliated institutions
• Name of journal
• Impact factor of the journal
• Circulation of the journal

20. The Hypothesis
• P
• I
• C
• O

21. Appraise the evidence base
• Key references
• Current known literature on the subject
• Is the hupothesis correct?
• Is the question relevant and important in the
context of the existing literature?

22. Study design
• Type
• Population
• Randomisation
• Bias
• Inclusion and exclusion criteria

23. Method
• Is the method thorough?
• Intelligent and appropriate?
• Were the processes consistent?
• Follow up was done?
• Outcomes were appropriate?
• Statistical tools were suitable?
• P value?

24. Results
• Clearly stated?
• Is the result statistically significant?

25. Discussion and Interpretation
• Strengths and weakness of the study
• Is the statistical significance of clinical
relevance?
• discussion before the conclusion
• Conflict of interests

26. Clinical context
• Does the paper change your clinical practice?
• Back to the clinical question that made you
interested in the article

27. Output
• Letter to the editors
• Further research

28. Journal Club at SBAHC

29. GOALS
1. Continuing professional development
2. Keeping up-to-date with the literature
3. Disseminating information on and build up
debate about good medical practice
4. Ensuring that professional practice is evidence-
based
5. Learning and practicing critical appraisal skills
6. Providing an enjoyable educational and social
occasion
7. Improving the academic environment at
SBAHC

30. PROPOSALS
• ð The journal club can meet once in a fortnight
• ð All the clinical staff can be invited for observation but
membership and participation will be limited
• ð Roles and responsibilities will be clearly defined as advised
by the mentor
• ð Meetings will have the mentor or his nominee as a chair or
facilitator
• ð Any consultant, with his vast experience in similar clubs and
good clinical knowledge can be co-ordinating the meetings
• ð All members will be encouraged to contribute their views
• ð Each member will commit to reading the articles
beforehand
• ð Training needs assessment for the members can be carried
out if deemed necessary by the coordiator

31. PROPOSALS
• ð The format for the meetings can be decided in
response to the needs of the members
• ð Training should be provided as needed (critical
appraisal, presentation skills etc) by the ESSD if needed
• ð We will ensure to have an environment of shared
learning
• ð Strict adherence to punctuality, clear start and
finish times, timetable for the year all made clear well in
advance
• ð Refreshments can be provided by the Dietetics
department or arranged among ourselves

32. PROPOSALS
• ð Format can be open at times, It can be topic based , or we can
look at an articles of interest relevant to our clinical area. We can
also present an interesting case that we see in the units and do an
open ended discussion about the medical condition
• ð One person can present and discuss a paper or topic, or we
can discuss all the articles as a group. If one person is presenting,
we can use this as an opportunity to practice and give feedback on
presentation skills
• ð We can also choose an article on a topic of interest/recently
published and do a critical appraisal
• ð We can start with a real clinical question, search the literature,
ask the Library staff to help us and select and read the most
relevant paper (before the next meeting)

33. RESPONSIBLE PERSONS
• Mentors: Dr. Mohammed Si Larbi
• Coordinator: Internal medicine
chairman/consultant
• Members : IM and allied specialties
consultants and specialists, medical residents,
Clinical pharmacists, ICU staff, CRNs

34. ROLES
Mentor / Coordinator Role
Helps members identify appropriate article that fits pre-specified
design of the month. Meet with residents/physicians 1-2 days
before Journal Club to discuss paper and prepare. Lead a 30-40
min. discussion of the paper and related topics in critical
appraisal following the residents' presentation at Journal Club
Resident’s / Members Role
Residents or specialist physicians select a recent article(s)/
interesting case and clear it with assigned Journal Club mentor.
They read the article and arrange a meeting with the mentor at
least once in a fortnight before Journal Club to discuss strengths
and weaknesses, identify teaching points, and outline approach
to presentation. They email a link to the article to all residents
the day before Journal Club. Finally, they give a 10-15 minute
PowerPoint presentation of the article to begin the Journal Club
discussion

35. Guidelines for Powerpoint
Presentation
Must be limited to 15 minutes to allow plenty of time for teaching and discussion.
Background/Introduction/Context (1 or 2 slides)
Brief outline of the case/ article to be discussed
Study Outline (1 slide)
This follows the structured abstract template favored by popular journals like JAMA or
Annals of Internal Medicine. Presenters should be able to summarize each heading in
one or two lines so as to fit on a single slide. This is a good slide to review with your
assigned mentor at the pre-Journal Club meeting. It should outline "Hypothesis/Goal;"
"Study Design;" "Setting;" "Participants;" "Data Collection;" "Main Outcome;" "Analytic
Method."
Additional Methods (1 or 2 slides)
Results (3-6 slides)
Typically, cut and pasted tables and figures.
Conclusions/ Implications (1 slide)
Strengths (1 slide)
Weaknesses (1 slide)
Discussion Points (1 slide)

36. RESOURCES
• Library
• Education department (ESSD)
• Medical Affairs office

37. FIRST MEETING – January 05, 2017

38. Thank you