We all know that it can take up to 17 years for knowledge to go from benchside to bedside. One of the things we pride ourselves on at DFTB is our ability to cut down this knowledge translation window. We do this in the form of our monthly Bubble Wrap, critical appraisals of key literature and engagement with key thought leaders via Twitter.
Now we are going to try something new – a monthly twitter journal club as a collaboration with Archives of Disease in Childhood.
So what does this mean for you?
The first rule of journal club is… You MUST talk about journal club
Without your involvement a journal club will just be four friends discussing an ADC paper. We can do that in the privacy of our own homes or hospitals. One of the things that we love about DFTB is our worldwide community. Many of us work in places where me might not get the opportunity to take part in a formal journal club so we decided to create one for you. It’s a chance for people from every continent to get together on-line and talk about a paper. But it will only work if YOU join in.
The second rule of journal club is… You MUST talk about journal club
Just like in Chuck Palahniuk’s now seminal book, the second rule is an echo of the first. We are going to announce the ADC paper up for discussion on the website, set a date and will see you there. There will be a focused one hour twitter chat online each month to discuss some of the key points in the paper (using the hashtag #DFTB_JC and moderated by @dftbubbles). You can also talk about journal club in the blog comments, on Twitter or via the Facebook page. At the end of the month we will attempt to collate the discussion points and comments, so if you have ever wanted to see your name in lights, you MUST talk about journal club. Just use this hashtag to make it easier for us all to find.
The third rule of journal club is… One question at a time, fellas.
Each month the JC moderator will put up four key questions, in advance, for you to think about. You might have many more and that is okay. We want to be able to try and impose just a little structure on the proceedings though. When answering a question, try and use the following format…This is the format that the one hour twitter chat will take too.
The fourth rule of journal club is… Use references if you can
It is easy to use anecdata to support an argument. We know you are better than that so try and support your arguments with a reference is you can. Citing the literature is another great way that we can help spread knowledge.
The fifth rule of journal club is… Personal experiences do matter!
Perhaps this seems the antithesis of rule four but it is really important to recognise the lived experiences of those we treat. Sometimes it just needs one patient story to make a difference to how we practice medicine. Just remember that what goes on the internet stays on the internet (forever and ever) so no patient identifying factors please.
The sixth rule of journal club is… Journal club is not just for doctors
We want you all to have the chance to read and contribute – nurses, pharmacists, PAs, paramedics, social workers as well as doctors. We are teaming up with Archives of Disease in Childhood to deliver you the paper in open access format each month. The paper will be made available especially for #DFTB_JC by ADC for your reading pleasure
Osler and the journal club
That master of medicine, Sir William Osler, has been suggested as the originator of the first journal club at McGill University back in 1875. Just like now articles were hidden behind paywalls, physical this time rather than digital, and it was a means of sharing knowledge with like-minded colleagues.
To read more on the modern evolution of the journal club then take a look at one of the online greats #NephJC:-
Topf JM, Sparks MA, Phelan PJ, Shah N, Lerma EV, Graham-Brown MP, Madariaga H, Iannuzzella F, Rheault MN, Oates T, Jhaveri KD. The evolution of the journal club: from Osler to Twitter. American Journal of Kidney Diseases. 2017 Jun 1;69(6):827-36.
And the seventh and final rule… if this is your first journal club, you have to have fun!
I mean, what is the point otherwise.
So when doe this happen? Our first #DFTB_JC will take place on 29th November at 2000hrs UTC. If you want to figure out when that is where you are then use this time zone calculator.
And what paper will we be discussing? We are going to start up with this one. Your moderator, for this first #DFTB_JC, will be Tessa Davis.
