Staying in touch through a journal club

A journal club can be a useful way of keeping up to date on the latest developments in your profession or discipline. Journal clubs are often run within disciplines (e.g. medical) or between disciplines, to critically evaluate published papers.

Benefits of Journal Clubs

Journal clubs can improve the quality of palliative care not only by helping allied health professionals examine research literature but by encouraging critical reflection on current clinical practices.

Journal clubs often help clinicians develop their critical appraisal skills and research processes. It can also offer for participants to practice presentation skills.

Because many different disciplines and professional groups contribute to palliative care as part of multidisciplinary teams, journal clubs can be an effective way to share and disseminate knowledge.

For practical tips on running or participating in a journal club visit the Finding Evidence page on Journal Club Basics.

Visit the CareSearch Journal club basics page

Journal club basics

Networking

Journal clubs are one way of networking. Networking is an important part of professional practice for health professionals. Finding out what is happening elsewhere and establishing working contacts and relationships helps to keep you linked in to your profession or your area of interest.

Social Media is one way to do this. Facebook and Twitter, for example, are two popular social media platforms being used by groups to share information on professional topics.

Journal Club resources

Read about digital professionalism on social media

Get ideas from the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) World-Wide Journal Club

Watch Ten Tips for Presenting a Journal Club

Last updated 09 November 2023