Online based. Social media enhanced. Still a Journal club in essence.

Sceptical Medic is a modern take on the journal club as a traditional learning tool for healthcare professionals. It combines best of both worlds of medicine and internet. Delivered by UK Internal Medicine Trainees via social media platform Twitter. Critically appraising interesting papers once monthly.

Who

Our journal club is mainly delivered by UK Internal Medicine Trainees in order to improve their critical thinking skills when reading ever emerging evidence in medical journals.

Where

Papers are critically appraised with standardised tool and discussion is published on the journal club’s website. Medics then engage in live discussion via Twitter using hashtag #scepticalmedic

When

Posts on the website are published once monthly seven days prior the discussion on Twitter. Live Twitter feed used to start on first Thursday of the month but now is on ad hoc basis.

Be part of a research

Sceptical Medic is running a study on impact of our journal club on development of evidence-based medicine (EBM) skills. Study is anonymous and done online. Takes 15-30 minutes.

Recently appraised

  • Tocilizumab in critical COVID-19
    Monoclonal antibodies against interleukin 6 are being investigated and used in COVID-19. These drugs have been found to reduce mortality in critically ill patients with COVID-19 pneumonia. Tocilizumab is a known immunomodulatory drug commonly used in rheumatoid arthritis. Its purpose in covid had been looked at in this trial.
  • Remdesivir in WHO’s SOLIDARITY trial
    Remdesivir has a lot of attention as promising antiviral agent against COVID-19. This largest coronavirus study cast a shadow of doubt on effectiveness of remdesivir and other agents on mortality of patients with COVID-19.
  • HIV treatment lopinavir-ritonavir in COVID-19
    In pursue of effective treatment for severe COVID-19 many different antiviral medication have been used. Combined HIV treatment lopinavir-ritonavir showed some inhibitory activity against SARS-CoV-1 and therefore was trialled in new coronavirus causing COVID-19.
  • Remdesivir in severe COVID-19
    While the world awaits an efficient vaccine for coronavirus, many therapeutics are currently being investigated in hope to improve clinical outcomes. One of the most promising one is currently remdesivir. Wang et al. published the first randomised placebo-controlled trial of its use in severe COVID-19.

Discussed next

What: TBD

When: TBD