Academic and Research Skills
Clinical Research
Health Services Research
Trainee
Tamar Lubell, MD
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics in Emergency Medicine
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
New York, New York, United States
Peter Dayan, MD, MSc (he/him/his)
Professor of Pediatrics in Emergency Medicine
Columbia University
Hastings on Hudson, New York, United States
Joan Bregstein, MD (she/her/hers)
Professor of Pediatrics (in Emergency Medicine)
Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons
New York, New York, United States
Andrea Cruz, MD, MPH (she/her/hers)
Professor of Pediatrics
Pediatrics
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, United States
Workshop
Description: The manuscript peer review process plays a crucial role in maintaining the quality of academic research. Trainees and faculty infrequently receive formal training on performing high-quality reviews. This workshop is designed to bridge this gap, providing experienced reviewers and those eager to get started with a practical framework to guide their quality reviews.
This workshop will begin with an overview of the peer review process, including ethical considerations, reviewer roles and responsibilities, and writing tips. A specific framework will guide the session’s three main components: Reviewing Methodology, Results, and Discussion/Conclusion. For the first activity, participants will, in dyads and triads, examine a sample manuscript up to the results section and, with facilitator involvement, identify and assess the impact of major and minor methodologic flaws on study quality. Small groups will report out to the larger group. A brief didactic on how to assess the results section will lead into the second activity in which groups of 6-8 participants will each critically assess a different aspect of results, including organization, tables/figures, and missing results/analyses, and then report out. The final didactic will focus on the discussion/conclusions, followed by a demonstration of approaches for editing the wording of the review to separately address the authors and editors. A handout with examples will be provided. Following a review of key takeaways, attendees will leave with the peer review framework, a comprehensive understanding of the review process, and confidence to contribute to research through high-quality peer review.