Veranja Liyanapathirana

Veranja Liyanapathirana | Keele University

We noted a reluctance of students to refer to scientific literature. Therefore, incorporated academic reading within the curriculum in small group discussions (SGD) and facilitated student seminars to encourage and guide reading to a student community who are non-native English speakers.

For the 1st SGD, a research article that gives epidemiological and diagnostic details on an infectious disease is posted and students are given a clinical case to answer based on it. In the 2nd SGD, a review paper on a concept on infectious diseases such as ‘emerging infections’ is given followed by a question answer session. During the actual SGDs, are expected to work in subgroups and compare their answers or come up with the answers and present. Both themes selected have a body of literature with rapid turnover, facilitators use this to emphasize the need to refer to updated literature.

The student seminar of the third year is based on case reports. Case reports form the lowest level of evidence in evidence-based medicine and are one of the first types of articles that medical graduates publish. The student seminar of the 3rd year module involves the students critiquing a published case report from a journal and evaluating it using the CARE guidelines for case reports. Case reports are selected by different facilitators who guide the students through the seminar presentations. In this activity also, as there is facilitation by an academic staff member on how to evaluate a case report, enabling students to cultivate this practice in themselves.