JBJS is pleased to highlight the orthopaedic residents who help implement the Robert Bucholz Resident Journal Club Grants at their institutions. The purpose of this program is to promote career-long skills in evaluating the orthopaedic literature as it relates to practice decision making among orthopaedic residents. Click here for more information about the grant program.
Name: Brian Goh, MD
Affiliation: Harvard Combined Orthopaedic Residency Program, Boston, MA
What was the topic of the most “dynamic” journal club meeting you have had so far this year?
One of the most dynamic and engaging journal clubs we have had centered around both residency [1] and fellowship [2] selection – a topic of universal interest for both residents and faculty. This journal club was particularly interesting in the setting of the recent changes to the USMLE Step 1 and how the assessment of medical students will change in the future. We analyzed the merits of these manuscripts, and our discussion led to commentary on the current state of the residency and fellowship selection process.
[1] Trikha R, Keswani A, Ishmael CR, Greig D, Kelley BV, Bernthal NM. Current Trends in Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Applications and Match Rates. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2020 Jan 6:10.2106/JBJS.19.00930. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.19.00930. PMID: 31904608.
[2] Krueger CA, Helms JR, Bell AJ, Israel H, Cannada LK. How the Reputation of Orthopaedic Residency Programs Is Associated with Orthopaedic Fellowship Match Results. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2020 Jan 8:10.2106/JBJS.19.00750. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.19.00750. PMID: 31913867.
Based on your journal club experiences, what are the top 3 characteristics of an engaging, enlightening journal club presentation?
Our journal clubs usually consist of manuscript topics that directly impact clinical practice and demonstrate clear, foreseeable patient application. Another characteristic is inviting faculty who are engaged in similar areas of research and can comment on the merits of the manuscripts discussed. Lastly, our journal clubs have been fortunate to receive visits from JBJS Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Marc Swiontkowski. He provides unique insight into the review process of manuscripts and how these articles have contributed to the broader musculoskeletal literature.
What advice about running a top-notch journal club program do you have for residents who will manage a Robert Bucholz Resident Journal Club Grant next year?
Our journal clubs are structured so that each article is jointly presented by a junior and senior resident. The junior resident presents the article and study design, while the senior resident provides context of the research and the strengths and weaknesses of the manuscript. Our discussions typically follow Dr. Seth Leopold’s framework [1] on thoughtful analysis of orthopaedic literature. To allow more residents to participate, we also have our journal clubs streamed to our off-site residents. As residency training evolves to include more off-site rotations, finding a mutual time and place is increasingly difficult. We have found videoconferencing to be immensely beneficial to include all of our residents, near and far. Good food and beverage also help maximize attendance!
[1] Leopold SS. Editorial: Getting the Most from What You Read in Orthopaedic Journals. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2017;475(7):1757–1761. doi:10.1007/s11999-017-5371-0
Aside from orthopaedic content (journals and otherwise), what have you been reading lately?
I recently took a course in Value-Based Health Care Delivery at Harvard Business School that is based on the research of Dr. Michael Porter. I am now reading Redefining Health Care: Creating Value-Based Competition on Results by Drs. Michael Porter and Elizabeth Teisberg to better understand how health care delivery is changing and how we can maximize value in patient care.