Fostering Progressive Scholarship: Transforming Family Medicine Through Collaborative Learning Networks

<h3>Context:</h3> In the landscape of family medicine, scholarly pursuits play a vital role in building research capacity and fostering mentorship, as the ACGME underscores. However, residents and faculty frequently encounter obstacles from inadequate training, support, protected time, and proper planning of scholarly activities. <h3>Objective:</h3> This study aimed to use a family medicine learning network to inspire and support early to mid-career family medicine learners to take on more rigorous scholarship. A longitudinal curriculum was implemented to develop a culture of inquiry and skill progression in critical appraisal, statistical analysis, and synthesis. <h3>Study Design and Analysis:</h3> Using an observational cohort study design, the initiative scrutinized the efficacy of implementing a longitudinal curriculum within United States family medicine residencies. <h3>Setting or Dataset:</h3> The study encompassed three family medicine residencies in different regions of the US from both University and community-based settings. <h3>Population studied:</h3> The study encompassed residents and faculty members. Intervention/Instrument: The intervention comprised a longitudinal curriculum delivered through two 4-hour learning sessions supplemented with scheduled protected time for guided editorial review sessions. Participants were instructed in critically appraising individual studies and formulating evidence-based reviews, denoted as GEM – Good Evidence Matters. These reviews underwent editing and peer-review processes, culminating in collaborative efforts to address clinical questions by amalgamating individual GEMs into comprehensive, evidence-based summaries and answers denoted as HDA – HelpDesk Answers. <h3>Outcome Measures:</h3> All participants attending both sessions aimed to co-author two manuscripts accepted for publication. <h3>Results:</h3> The curriculum standardized the clinical scholarship process, leading to improved learning outcomes and co-authorship of scholarly works. Participants completed &gt;75% of manuscripts. <h3>Conclusion:</h3> The implemented curriculum proved instrumental in elevating the standard of clinical scholarship within family medicine, enriching learning experiences, and fostering greater engagement in scholarly endeavors. Cultivating critical appraisal and literature synthesis skills is imperative for general practitioners, enabling them to deliver optimal patient care, stay attuned to evolving research paradigms, and actively advance medical knowledge.