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: Carl Herndon, MD

Affiliation: Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY

What was the topic of the most “dynamic” journal club meeting you have had so far this year?

We recently had a journal club focusing on adult joint reconstruction, and discussed different fixation strategies of implants (broadly cement vs cementless fixation). We evaluated the following 3 studies:

Stea S, Comfort T, Sedrakyan A, Havelin L, Marinelli M, Barber T, Paxton E, Banerjee S, Isaacs AJ, Graves S. Multinational comprehensive evaluation of the fixation method used in hip replacement: interaction with age in context. The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume. 2014 Dec;96(Suppl 1):42-51.

Khanuja HS, Vakil JJ, Goddard MS, Mont MA. Cementless femoral fixation in total hip arthroplasty. JBJS. 2011 Mar 2;93(5):500-9.

Nam D, Lawrie CM, Salih R, Nahhas CR, Barrack RL, Nunley RM. Cemented versus cementless total knee arthroplasty of the same modern design: a prospective, randomized trial. The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume. 2019 Jul 3;101(13):1185.

Based on your journal club experiences, what are the top 3 characteristics of an engaging, enlightening journal club presentation?

1. Hand-on activities: We always lead off our journal club with a sawbones exercise where senior residents, fellows, and attendings lead junior residents through a topical saw bones. Great to get everyone thinking and a chance for everyone to learn.

2. Multilevel involvement: Having everyone there from interns all the way to senior attendings is critical as we evaluate the literature with different biases and can all learn together.

3. Atmosphere: Reading these articles and discussing them doesn’t have to be boring! Having food or snacks and scheduling it at the end of the day allows for a more laid-back vibe to learning that is conducive to discussion.

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?

Plan it out in advance, and put dates on the calendar for everyone to know when it’s happening. Nothing worse than trying to do all this work and having no one show up!

Aside from orthopaedic content (journals and otherwise), what have you been reading lately?

Once a Runner by John L. Parker Jr. One of my favorite books.