Students’ perception of implementing journal clubs in an undergraduate medical curriculum

Abstract

Background: Journal club is an essential teaching-learning activity that provides a forum for developing skills in critical appraisal. It helps in keeping abreast of new knowledge, facilitating the application of new research in improving patient care, and aiding medical students to be competent clinicians. The current study aimed to elucidate whether students are aware of the concept of a journal club and their willingness to implement a journal club in their undergraduate medical curriculum. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among the undergraduate medical students at the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, The National University of Science and Technology, in February 2019. A structured questionnaire of 8 items was administered that assessed the knowledge, attitude, and perceptions towards implementation of a journal club (JC) in an undergraduate curriculum among medical students. A total of 161 undergraduate medical students participated in the study. Results: Of the 161 students, 112 (69.4%) were in their preclinical years, and 49 (30.6%) were in their clinical years. In all, 145 students were female and 16 were male. Majority of students in their preclinical years (70.5%) were not aware of the journal club. Among the five reasons given for journal clubs to be included in the curriculum, the largest number of students (30.8%) wanted a journal club because it would help them to gain confidence to present cases in clinics and exams. The most common reason students did not want a journal club was that it requires a great deal of time to prepare (64.3%). Conclusion: The introduction of a journal club would enhance the proficiency of undergraduate students to be lifelong learners. It is a robust educational tool to equip them with knowledge of research practices that would aid in better patient care.