ABSTRACT
Background: Journal Clubs (JC) are a common format used in teaching institutions to promote trainee engagement and develop skills of seeking out evidence-based medicine and critically evaluating literature. Digital technology has made these formats accessible to worldwide audiences, which allows for increased inclusion of globally diverse presenters and attendees. Herein we describe the experience of the first 17 months of a virtual gynecologic pathology journal club designed with the goal of increasing inclusivity and providing mentorship to trainees and early career pathologists. Design: JC began in a virtual format in April of 2020 as a response to the necessity of remote learning during the Covid-19 pandemic. Each JC had one moderator, lasted one hour, featured up to three trainees/early career pathologists, and covered articles on gynecologic surgical pathology/cytopathology. Recruitment of trainees was performed via direct contact by moderators and via social media. Prior to presenting, feedback was provided, and live practice was conducted with the moderator. A template was used for presentation. Evaluations were provided to presenters and attendees for feedback. Recordings of the meetings were made publicly available following the events via YouTube, a society website, and directed emails sent to registrants. Results: 37 unique presenters participated, presenting 50 articles, and most were trainees (32/37;86%) from North America (23/37;62%), with additional presenters from Asia (7/38;18%), Europe (3/38;8%), Africa (3/38;8%), and Australia (2/38;5%). An average of 6 hours were spent per month on mentorship/feedback. Live events had a total of 905 attendees, and recordings were watched 7,923 times. Amongst those who self-identified on provided surveys, the attendees were most commonly from Europe (73/179;41%) and were overwhelmingly practicing pathologists (189/236;80%;Figures 1 and 2). The experience, including mentorship, format, and content were positively reviewed by attendees and presenters (Table 1). Conclusions: JC is an inclusive educational opportunity which was able to engage trainees and early career pathologists from around the globe. In addition, the JC was widely viewed by attendees from multiple countries, the majority of whom were practicing pathologists. Based on feedback, JC expands the medical knowledge of the attendees and empowers presenters to develop their expertise and communication skills.