Twitter Journal Clubs

Appendix 2 of the NephJC Primer on Twitter Journal Clubs contained a list of all known twitter journal clubs. This information used to be stored on the Wikipedia page on journal clubs, you can see it in the history. But Wikipedia, home of a comprehensive list of English Canadian game shows (we are not kidding, see French list here), did not think a list of Twitter journal clubs was encyclopedia worthy. So we are recreating the list here as a Google Sheet. Have at it.

Introducing the NephJC Primer on Twitter Journal Clubs

In the tradition of Andrew Ibrahim’s Visual Abstract Primer, NephJC is proud to announce the NephJC Twitter Journal Club Primer. We have been working on this for about 4 months and think it’s pretty good.

The Primer is intended to be a living document and the latest version will always be hosted here.

Feel free to tweet feedback.

The Neph-Twitterverse discovers Twitter polls

A few weeks ago, the folks at twitter announced they were rolling out Twitter polls. Previously, tweeps would use manually counting responses or the RT-if-you-agree Fav-if-you-don't approach. This is how the polls were supposed to work:

Coming soon! We're rolling out the ability for everyone to create polls on Twitter: https://t.co/pH5a8q9Ujz pic.twitter.com/ijAKEMUdf1

— Twitter (@twitter) October 21, 2015

So what, you might say? A few users (notably @conradhackett from Pew research) played a lot with them, sample poll:

Would you rather spend the next week without TV or Twitter?

— Conrad Hackett (@conradhackett) October 30, 2015

The ease of setting one up, and the option to just click and be done were some of the major selling points. But it wasn't clear if would be just a passing fad or something more. I used one at the #KidneyWk, but there were few responders

So @potasn said at #KidneyWk to end CKD staging. What's your take?

— Swapnil Hiremath, MD (@hswapnil) November 5, 2015

Then Matt decided to poll the #nephjc followers after the suPAR chat

what do you think about suPAR predicting CKD #NephJC

— Nephrology Jrnl Club (@NephJC) November 25, 2015

And Thomas Hiemstra decided to design his next #DreamRCT on therapy for Membranous nephropathy with a series of tweets:

.@hswapnil @NephJC eGFR=65, aPLA2R +, membranous on bx, 9g proteinuria after 6mths ACEi. Now, I would use:

— Thomas Hiemstra (@Thomas_Hiemstra) November 27, 2015

.@hswapnil @NephJC Same scenario, GFR=65, I would randomise to Cyc vs Tacrolimus

— Thomas Hiemstra (@Thomas_Hiemstra) November 27, 2015

Second scenario

.@hswapnil @NephJC eGFR=30, aPLA2R +, membranous on bx, 9g proteinuria after 6mths ACEi. Now, I would use:

— Thomas Hiemstra (@Thomas_Hiemstra) November 27, 2015

.@hswapnil @NephJC Same scenario, GFR=30, I would randomise to Cyc vs Tacrolimus

— Thomas Hiemstra (@Thomas_Hiemstra) November 27, 2015

And it wasn't long before Graham Abra re-ran an older question on the utility of urine eosinophils in allergic interstitial nephritis

Let's re-do this one with the slick new poll feature: Do you order urine eos as part of your AIN workup?

— Graham Abra, MD (@GrahamAbra) November 27, 2015

another one on the duration of steroids in SLE, in remission

In class III/IV lupus nephritis w/ clinical response to MMF+steroids how long is your maintenance rx?

— Graham Abra, MD (@GrahamAbra) November 27, 2015

So we guess polls on twitter are here to say. Nephrology tweeps find it awesome (and I can say so with confidence, backed by facts, or shall we say, a poll?)

Nephro-twitter has suddenly caught on to Twitter polls tonight

— Swapnil Hiremath, MD (@hswapnil) November 27, 2015

Swapnil Hiremath

A Sufka lecture on Twitter Journal Clubs

Social media all-star and DreamRCT trialist, Paul Sufka gave grand rounds at Hennepin County Medical Center on Twitter for Journal Clubs and Medical Education. Beautiful slides.

Twitter for Journal Clubs and Medical Education from Paul Sufka

Nice article on tweeting the meeting

Ten tips (PDF) for stimulating vibrant conversations on Twitter surrounding a scientific meeting. These would be great for meeting organizers to consider:

Add this to the two articles by Alex Djuricich to flesh out your live-tweeting medical library.

1. Live Tweeting in Medicine 'Tweeting the Meeting'
2. Social Media, Evidence-Based Tweeting, and JCEHP

New kid on the block: #RheumJC

The rheumatology crew that killed it during the Rituximab for ANCA vasculitis NephJC are striking out on there own with an ambitious plan for their own twitter journal club. They are kicking it off this coming Thursday with a GMT and EST at the exact same time as our NephJCs, 8GMT and 9EST. They are then doing a consolidation wrap up discussion the following day. 

The first topic is one near and dear to all of our hearts, lupus nephritis. RCT of tacrolimus versus MMF for induction. 

It would be great if some of our community could support the rheumatologists as they launch their journal club.

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