Drug Information Center

Journal Club and Literature Analysis - PMPR 385

Fall 2007

Course Description

This 1 credit-hour elective course is designed to familiarize students with more advanced study design and statistical concepts commonly used in medical literature.  This course will allow students to improve their ability to interpret, evaluate, and communicate important elements and findings of a study in the journal club setting.  Students will gain experience in assessing the value of results from selected published literature to daily clinical practice.

Faculty:  All faculty prefer contact via e-mail

Joan Stachnik, PharmD, BCPS (Coordinator)

Phone: (312) 413-7699; e-mail:  stachnik@uic.edu

Courtney Krueger, PharmD, BCPS

e-mail ceckhoff@uic.edu

Amy Lodolce, PharmD, BCPS

Phone : (312) 355-4049 ; email : aelo@uic.edu  

Course Objectives

• Describe the purpose of a journal club
• Identify appropriate content of various sections of a published article
• Critically evaluate a published clinical trial
• Apply the results of published studies to clinical practice
• Describe various trial designs used in clinical research
• Identify appropriate statistical methods for a clinical trial 

Location

Class will meet for lecture once weekly on Fridays from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. in Room 204.  The prerequisite for PMPR 385 is the successful completion of PHAR 455.  Note: the class will  meet in Room 111 on October 5 and November 16.

Attendance

Due to the format for this course, attendance in lecture is mandatory.  Students will be required to turn in one-minute papers at the conclusion of each lecture.  Points (see below) for the one-minute paper will be based on attendance and successful completion of the paper.  The purpose of the one-minute paper is to provide the lecturer with feedback; the lecturer may provide further information on certain topics based on the responses to the one-minute paper.  Please contact Dr. Stachnik or Dr. Nunn-Thompson via e-mail or phone prior to lecture if you are going to miss class to arrange for an alternative assignment.  A maximum of 2 excused absences will be allowed.  Unexcused absences will be addressed on an individual student basis.  

Attendance at Professional Meetings

The course coordinator recognizes the value of and encourages student participation at professional meetings.  Students who plan to attend off-campus meetings should contact the course coordinator at least 2 weeks prior to the meeting.  A list of the student’s names attending the meeting should be given to the course coordinator.  The course coordinator will work with the students to resolve how missed assignments will be handled.  If this procedure is not followed, there is no guarantee that a satisfactory solution will be available. 

Religious Observance Policy

The faculty of the University of Illinois at Chicago shall make every effort to avoid scheduling examinations or requiring that student projects be turned in or completed on religious holidays. Students who wish to observe their religious holidays shall notify the faculty member by the 10th day of the semester of the dates when they will be absent unless the religious holiday is observed on or before the 10th day of the semester. In such cases, the student shall notify the faculty member at least 5 days in advance of the date when she/he will be absent. The faculty member shall honor the request, not penalize the student for missing the class, and if an examination or project is due during the absence, the student shall be given an assignment equivalent to the one completed by those students in attendance. 

Course communication

Course communication will occur primarily through Blackboard.  Students are encouraged to check Blackboard frequently for updates, announcements, recommended/required readings, and alterations to the lecture schedule if any.  All of the lecture slides will be posted on Blackboard under the section “Course documents”.

Textbooks/Learning Resources

Readings for discussion may be assigned prior to lecture.  Reading the material prior to lecture is strongly encouraged and students should be prepared to discuss and/or answer questions regarding assigned readings.  Handouts for lectures (if available) and assigned readings will be posted on Blackboard. Students are encouraged to check the Blackboard course site at least weekly to see if lecturers have posted required or recommended readings. 

There will be no required text for this course.  However, two reference texts are suggested:

Lang T, Secic M.  How to report statistics in medicine.  2^nd edition.  Philadelphia (PA): American College of Physicians. 

Dawson B, Trapp R.  Basic & Clinical Biostatistics, 4^th edition.  Available via Access Medicine at the Library of the Health Sciences. 

Assignments

• Reflective one-minute papers (due at the end of each lecture)
• Journal club presentation
• Journal club evaluation

Students will be presenting both group and individual journal clubs.  Each student is expected to read each article presented and participate in the discussion following each journal club presentation.

Grading:

Formal letter grade assignments will be based on the following percentages:

A:  90% to 100%   

B:  80% to 89%  

C:  70% to 79% 

D:  60% to 69%  

Failing:  59% and below   

Grades will be based on the scores from reviewing the syllabus, cases, and quizzes/reflective papers.  See above “Assignments” for due dates. 

Students who disagree with a grade assigned on any assignment may submit the assignment in question to the course coordinator for re-evaluation within 5 days of receiving the graded assignment.  The entire assignment will be re-graded, and the resulting score (higher or lower) will be final. 

Reflective one-minute papers (lecture evaluation)  5 points (total 30 points)

Journal club presentation (group)  15 points

Journal club presentation (individual)  30 points

Journal club evaluation   5 points (total 45 points)

Total points available    120 points

Late Assignments

All assignments are due at the end of each lecture.  No late assignments will be accepted. 

PMPR 385 Lecture Schedule

^a Class to be held in Room 111.

Maintenance of student confidentiality

In order to maintain confidentiality, assignments will be handed back to each individual student in person or via the student mailboxes in a sealed envelope.  One-minute papers will not be returned since they are primarily to be used by the course coordinator as an evaluation tool. 

For special needs students (e.g., disabilities), as per University policy:

To obtain academic accommodations for this course, students with disabilities should contact the Office of Disability Services and the instructor in charge as soon as possible or within 10 days once the course begins.  The student will need to contact Disability Services at 1-312-413-2183 (voice) or 1-312-413-0123 (TYY). 

Disabled students have the right to request and receive through the Office of Disability Services current documentation that supports requests for reasonable accommodations, academic adjustments, and auxiliary aids and services. 

Academic Integrity

It is a policy of the College of Pharmacy and of the faculty and guest lecturers in this course that academic dishonesty will not be tolerated.  Check the College of Pharmacy Student Handbook and Website for the possible disciplinary actions if found guilty of these actions, and for the UIC academic grievance procedures.  Please note:  plagiarized assignments will be given a grade of zero. 

According to the student handbook, academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

1. Cheating—either intentionally using or attempting to use unauthorized materials, information, people, or study aids in any academic exercise or providing to, or receiving from, another person any kind of unauthorized assistance on any examination or assignment.
2. Fabricating—knowing or unauthorized falsification, reproduction, lack of attribution, or invention of any information or citation in an academic exercise.
3. Facilitating academic dishonesty/plagiarism—intentionally or knowingly representing the words or ideas of another as one’s own in any academic exercise.
4. Offering bribes, favors, or threats—bribing or attempting to bribe or promising favors to or making threats against any person with the intention of affecting a record of a grade or evaluation of academic performance and any conspiracy with another person who then takes, or attempts to take, action on behalf of, or at the direction of, the student.
5. Taking an examination by proxy—taking or attempting to take an exam for someone else—is a violation by both the student enrolled in the course and the proxy or substitute.
6. Grade tampering—any unauthorized attempt to change, actual change of, or alteration of grades or any tampering with grades.
7. Submitting nonoriginal works—submission or attempt to submit any written work written, in whole or part, by someone other than the student.

Pledge of Professionalism

The Pledge of Professionalism was designed to remind students what they should expect of each other in terms of attitudes, ethical behavior, and academic honesty.  The coordinator expects that all students enrolled in PMPR 385 will use the Pledge as a guide to behavior within this course and all others.  Furthermore, the course coordinator reserves the right to fail any student enrolled in PMPR 385 that demonstrates unprofessional behavior at any time. 

The pledge of professionalism is pasted below and is available at:  http://www.uic.edu/pharmacy/offices/osa/handbook#pledge

As a student of pharmacy, I believe there is a need to build and reinforce a professional identity founded on integrity, ethical behavior and honor. This development, a vital process in my education, will help to ensure that I am true to the professional relationship I establish between myself and society as I become a member of the pharmacy community. Integrity will be an essential part of my everyday life and I will pursue all academic and professional endeavors with honesty and commitment to service.

To accomplish this goal of professional development, as a student of pharmacy I will:

A.  DEVELOP a sense of loyalty and duty to the profession by contributing to the well-being of others and by enthusiastically accepting the responsibility and accountability for membership in the profession.

B.  FOSTER professional competency through life-long learning. I will strive for high ideals, teamwork, and unity within the profession in order to provide optimal patient care.

C.  SUPPORT my colleagues by actively encouraging personal commitment to the Oath of a Pharmacist and the Code of Ethics for Pharmacists as set forth by the profession.

D.  DEDICATE my life and practice to excellence. This will require an ongoing reassessment of personal and professional values.

E.  MAINTAIN the highest ideals and professional attributes to insure and facilitate the covenantal relationship required of the pharmaceutical care giver.
 

The profession of pharmacy is one that demands adherence to a set of ethical principles. These high ideals are necessary to insure the quality of care extended to the patients I serve. As a student of pharmacy, I believe this does not start with graduation; rather it begins with my membership in this professional college community. Therefore, I will strive to uphold this pledge as I advance toward full membership in the profession.
 
¹ Adapted by the American Pharmaceutical Association, Academy of Students of Pharmacy and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy Council of Deans, Committee on Professional Development, 1994.

Syllabus agreement form – PMPR 385 Journal Club and Literature Analysis

As a student enrolled in PMPR 385, you must acknowledge receipt of this syllabus and agree to abide by its provisions. 

I have read this syllabus, understand its implications, and will abide by it.  I understand that the course coordinator has the right to make alterations to the class schedule and syllabus as needed. 

Name of student:______________________________

Signature of student:______________________________  Date:______________

This form must be signed and turned in at 1:30 p.m. on Friday September 7, 2007 after lecture.