SOMC 220 Small Literature Groups
Analyzing and Explaining Medical Research
Class Details
• Group Leader
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Mark Lawson, Ph.D.
Professor, Reproductive Medicine
Office: Leichtag Building, 3A13
mlawson@ucsd.edu
858-822-4128 Leave a message and it will convert to email
• Meeting Dates
• 9/8/15 @10:15-11:05 AM
• 9/14/15 @10:00 - 11:50 AM
• 9/21/15 @10:00 AM-11:50 AM
Purpose
• Preparation for future practice
• Must be able to critically evaluate new protocols as they arise.
• Must evaluate the efficacy of the drugs for non-standard uses.
• Opportunity to practice oral presentation
• Oral communication is essential for interacting with patients.
• Future steps require the ability to present your case orally to your
peers.
• Preparation for the questions of future patients
• An effective health care provider must be able to answer patient
questions which arise from popular media or their own research.
Requirements
• One oral presentation
• Attendance at each session (contact instructor if you
cannot attend)
• Participation in class discussions
Course Objectives
• Recognize that ongoing advances in medicine will
necessitate life-long learning
• Critically evaluate biomedical literature, and effectively
present their conclusions
• Maintain a healthy skepticism about interpretations
• Understand the necessity of using evidence-based studies
• Communicate the implications of new research to nonexperts, such as colleagues or patients
Structure
• First Meeting
• Introduction
• Assignment of papers
• Second and Third Meetings
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Two papers presented
35 minute talk per paper plus discussion
10 minute break between presentations
Feedback will be in the form of evaluations from peers and Leader
Food and Beverage bribes are welcome
• Discussion Prep
• Arranged meetings with leader prior to presentation
Requirements
• Each student must participate in an oral presentation
• Students must attend each meeting or contact the
instructor ahead of time
• The content of the presentations/papers will be examined
on quizzes and exams
• Learning objectives that will be tested are posted on the course
website
The Papers
• Papers are drawn from the New England Journal of
Medicine
• Reasonably accessible to the general reader
• Common audience of clinicians and researchers
• Editorials and perspective articles included to provide
background and context
• Instructions for reading and presenting are posted on the
course website
• 2-3 members will team up for each paper
Reading a Paper
• Abstract
• Will include the author’s major points
• You should understand the main point
• Introduction
• Places the research in context
• Develops the primary hypothesis
• You should learn why the work is important and what the central question is
• Results
• Describers the approach, design and outcomes of the tests or observations
• You should understand the logic and implementation of the study as well as outcomes
• Discussion
• Summarizes results and draws conclusions
• Addresses impact
• Makes predictions and indicates future directions
• You should form an opinion about the work
• Methods
• Should provide enough information for another expert to replicate the study
• You should determine if the methods were appropriate
Presenting a Paper
• Use Learning Objectives as a Guide
• Involve the Audience
• Question the audience and assess comprehension
• Introduction
• Provide Context, discuss why the study is important or of interest
• The Approach
• How the question is asked
• The Experiments
• Clearly State Question, describe the result, then conclusion
• Conclusions
• Give overall conclusions and your interpretation of it
• Implications
• Discuss future experiments or broad implications
• Follow-Up
• What is the current status of this work?
• Has this work led to further research or changes in treatment?
References
• September 14, 2015:
• First paper and commentary: Cancer Vaccine Trial• FUTURE II Study Group. “Quadrivalent vaccine against human
papillomavirus to prevent high-grade cervical lesions.” NEJM 356:
1915-1927 (2007).
• Finn, O.J., and R. P. Edwards. “Human Papillomavirus Vaccine for
Cancer Prevention.” NEJM 361: 1899-1901 (2009).
• Second paper and commentary: Molecular Medicine• Fong, P.C. et al. “Inhibition of Poly(ADP-Ribose) Polymerase in
Tumors from BRCA Mutation Carriers.” NEJM 361: 123-134 (2009).
• Editorial: Iglehart, J.D., and D. P. Silver. “Synthetic Lethality – A New
Direction in Cancer-Drug Development.” NEJM 361: 189-191 (2009).
References
• September 21, 2015:
• First paper and commentary: Personalized Medicine• Baselga, J., et al, “Pertuzumab plus Trastuzumab plus Docetaxel for Metastatic
Breast Cancer,” NEJM 366: 109 (2012)
• EXCERPT from an Extension of Survival Analysis for Baselga et al: Swain, S.M. et
al, “Overall Survival Benefit with Pertuzumab, Trastuzumab, and Docetaxel …
Lancet Oncology 14: 461 (2013) Editorial: Gradishar, W.J., “HER2 Therapy - - An
Abundance of Riches,” NEJM 366:176 (2012).
• Second paper and commentary: Molecular Medicine• Chapman, P.B., et al, “Improved Survival with Vemurafenib in melanoma with
BRAF V600E Mutation,” NEJM 364:2507 (2011).
• Editorial for a previous, related paper: Smalley, K.S.M, and Sondak, V.K.,
“Melanoma – An Unlikely Poster Child for Personalized Cancer Therapy,” NEJM
363:876 (2010).
• Editorial: Ernstoff, M.S., “Been There, not Done That – Melanoma in the Age of
Molecular Therapy,” NEJM 364:2547 (2011).
Introductions
Assignment of Papers
Assignments:
Paper 1: Nick, Wilson, Alex
Paper 3: Michael, Danielle, Jana
Paper 2: Tyler, Michelle, Simon
Paper 4: Argen, Kaley, Corey
Assignments:
Paper 1: Nick, Wilson, Alex
Paper 3: Michael, Danielle, Jana
Paper 2: Tyler, Michelle, Simon
Paper 4: Arjun, Kaley, Corey