Newswise — NYU Langone Medical Center has instituted a peer-review system for Clinical Correlations, an on-line blog that helps busy physicians answer difficult clinical questions and keep abreast of changes in the current, fast-paced medical environment. The blog—among the first of its kind—is produced by faculty and residents in the department of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center.
The announcement of the new peer-review system was made by Clinical Correlations' founder and editor-in-chief Dr. Neil Shapiro, an assistant professor of medicine and associate program director for the internal medicine residency program at the New York University School of Medicine, who says posting from medical students, residents and faculty generate wide-ranging discussions about the practice of medicine. With the institution of the peer-review process, posts that are vetted by a blog editor are then sent to a specialist in the field for review and comment before being posted.
"The blog helps heighten the educational experience for medical faculty and trainees," says Dr. Shapiro, who adds that physicians and students outside NYU Langone Medical Center are reading the blog. "Our decision to institute peer review came in response to the blog's popularity and our efforts to assure the quality and accuracy of contributions. The peer-review process supplements the efforts of the staff and editorial board, and gives the content more credibility and heft."
Clinical Correlations has already received recognition within the medical establishment. Dr. Shapiro's work was recently lauded by the American College of Physicians, which named him one of 2008's Top Hospitalists, praising his efforts to encourage medical students and faculty to write for and read the blog.
According to Dr. Shapiro, medical residents and attendings are often overwhelmed by long hours spent taking care of patients in inpatient and outpatient settings. The time that can be devoted to academic pursuits, such as keeping up with the current medical literature, is often limited, so the blog serves as an easily accessible forum, a source of enrichment, and provides a quick way to collectively keep up with the fast pace of medicine.
"Everyday, everywhere we look-on the wards, in the news, in the clinic we find physicians practicing and discussing many fascinating aspects of medicine," says Dr. Shapiro, who adds that the blog was initially created to encourage NYU Langone Medical Center's house staff to read on a daily basis. "With the blog, we hope to capture these moments and inspire both novice and seasoned physicians alike."
"The blog has created an accessible resource for me to keep up to date on breaking research in a time-efficient manner," agrees second-year NYU internal medicine resident Bani Chander. "It is so comforting to know that we have a place to pose our complex clinical questions and receive expert opinions. Best of all, as an avid writer, I love being able to contribute articles because I've learned so much from writing posts." About NYU Langone Medical CenterOne of the world's premier academic medical institutions for more than 167 years, NYU Langone Medical Center continues to be a leader in patient care, physician education and scientific research. NYU Langone Medical Center is internationally renowned for excellence in areas such as cardiovascular disease, orthopaedics, pediatrics, skin care, neurosurgery, imaging, urology, cancer care, rehabilitation medicine, plastic surgery, minimally invasive surgery, transplant surgery, infertility, and women's health.
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