Internationale Zeitschrift für Neurorehabilitation

Journal Club: A New Local Pedagogic Review Regarding Tutoring and Guidance for Psychiatric Residents

Abstract

Saeed Shoja Shafti

Introduction: While journal clubs are a time-honored method of reviewing and discussing the scientific literature in medicine, hitherto there is no universally accepted definition of that. Purpose of the present study involved a comparison between instructive values of meetings that are directed by an authentic faculty member in comparison with conferences that are usually coached by chief residents. Methods: Forty-two psychiatric residents (from two psychiatric training centers) have been quizzed about the intentions, principles or importance of journal club. Both of said colleges had comparable settings, conferences and alike standard psychiatric journals. In one of them the papers were chosen usually by chief resident, who was as well coordinator of the conferences, while in the other one, articles were chosen habitually by a faculty member, as director and coordinator of sessions. After at least one year of attending in associated sessions, all the participants were asked to answer incognito to a Survey Questionnaire, including 23 questions, involved multiple answers, with different Coding Categories. Analysis of data was performed by way of ‘Comparison of Proportions’. Quantities in each group, as well, were analyzed in line with percentage of responds to different Coding Categories. Significance was defined as P ≤ 0.05. Results: While all participants replied questionnaires, significant difference was evident between two groups regarding their response to at least twelve questions. Judgment of residents were generally and remarkably different with regard to ‘goals’, ‘format’, ’necessity of attendance’, ‘quality of participation of faculty’, ‘educational value of core curriculum of journal club’, ‘its critical role with regard to research and appraisal of topics ‘, and in conclusion ‘as a resource for continuous education’. Conclusion: While journal club formats are educationally diverse and appear to be more effective if they have a leader, disciplined organization of journal club by a skilled faculty member may enhance scientific insight and instructive gratifications of apprentices.