Hello everyone, and welcome back! Today’s post is going to be a little different from previous ones, as I want to use it to briefly introduce the upcoming North West Research and Audit Group (NWRAG) online journal club. As this is a slightly new concept, I wanted to spend a few minutes to talk through our plans to help the process easier for everyone to get involved with.
Who are NWRAG?
If you haven’t heard of us, we are a group of anaesthesia and intensive care medicine trainees based, unsurprisingly, in the North West of England. Our aim to promote and coordinate high quality audit, research and QI projects across the region. By running the same project simultaneously across multiple hospitals, the goal is that their impact is greatly increased and they can make a real difference. For a bit more of an insight into this, check out our website - www.nwrag.com.
However, we don’t just stick to the conduct of such projects and are also involved in a number of educational projects to promote research and audit skills. One really successful element of this has been our local journal club. Usually based in the warm confines of a local pub, it has met to discuss the latest papers with a beer in hand, and in many case getting a response letter published (7 so far). However, it’s clear that it isn’t always possible for people to make it to such events with the number of work and other commitments that take up the evenings.
And so here we are! Inspired by the spirit of FOAMed (see here) and some other great work done with similar ideas, we decided to take the whole experience online. This will hopefully give everyone who wants to get involved the chance to do so and not be limited by geographical or time constraints.
However, we don’t just stick to the conduct of such projects and are also involved in a number of educational projects to promote research and audit skills. One really successful element of this has been our local journal club. Usually based in the warm confines of a local pub, it has met to discuss the latest papers with a beer in hand, and in many case getting a response letter published (7 so far). However, it’s clear that it isn’t always possible for people to make it to such events with the number of work and other commitments that take up the evenings.
And so here we are! Inspired by the spirit of FOAMed (see here) and some other great work done with similar ideas, we decided to take the whole experience online. This will hopefully give everyone who wants to get involved the chance to do so and not be limited by geographical or time constraints.
What's the Plan?
The plan is to hold our journal club in the virtual venue of Twitter. It will take place over a single day (Wednesday 10th May) starting at 9am and concluding at 9pm. There will be some loose structure to the discussion facilitated by us (@NWRAG) but part of the purpose of this format is to allow some asynchronicity to the whole discussion, to allow people to join in around their other commitments. We’ll be using the hashtag #NWRAGJC to tie it all together at the time and keep a record for looking back at our discussions. Part of the added bonus of this is that all contributions can therefore be used as evidence of continuing professional development for annual reviews of progression (I'll post more on how to do this soon!).
What's the next step?
Well if you’re interested in getting involved please do. We will be releasing the link to the chosen paper later this week to allow you some time in advance to read through it. If you’re not yet following us on Twitter then check us out at @NWRAG as this will be the best way to follow the whole proceedings.
If you’re not yet on Twitter then I can strongly recommend checking it out. It’s a fantastic way to share educational materials and further one’s own learning. Here’s a bit of an introduction:
Introduction to Twitter
If you’re not yet on Twitter then I can strongly recommend checking it out. It’s a fantastic way to share educational materials and further one’s own learning. Here’s a bit of an introduction:
Introduction to Twitter
And finally...
As always when using social media, remember the very visible and permanent nature of everything that is posted. It is essential to bear in mind the GMC guidance on the topic (http://www.gmc-uk.org/guidance/ethical_guidance/21186.asp) and maintain professional and confidentiality standards at all times. If you wouldn’t say it to a patient, don’t post it.
Well thanks for reading and I hope that has piqued your interest enough for you to join us next week. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on our paper (I think it’s a good one) and we welcome your thoughts on the whole process too.
We’ll see you next week.
BW,
Tom
Well thanks for reading and I hope that has piqued your interest enough for you to join us next week. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on our paper (I think it’s a good one) and we welcome your thoughts on the whole process too.
We’ll see you next week.
BW,
Tom
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