2012 Grant Recipient's Abstract: Mitchell Elkind, MD

October 27, 2011

Mitchell Elkind, MD

"Use of a Mentored Peer Review Program to Enhance Neurology Resident Education on the Basic Concepts of Biostatistics, Research Methodology, and Peer Review"

Background: Residents are evaluated on the competency of Practice-based Learning and Improvement with the expectation of practicing evidence-based neurology. To critically evaluate the biomedical literature, residents require knowledge on the topics of biostatistics, research methodology, and peer review. The instruction of these topics in residency, however, remains inconsistent. Additional educational methods are needed to incorporate those topics into the neurology resident curriculum.

Objective: To increase neurology resident knowledge of biostatistics, research methodology, and peer review using a program of mentored peer review.

Methods: We will perform a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of a mentored peer review program. Sixty neurology residents will take a pre-test with questions on biostatistics and research methodology. They will complete a baseline review of a standardized manuscript. Thirty residents would be assigned a local mentor to provide feedback while the others receive no feedback. All residents would complete additional reviews of standardized manuscripts that teach to a curriculum on biostatistics and research methodology, also provided to the mentors. A post-test would be administered to all residents at the end. In addition, in the years following participation, the residents will be asked about their participation in the research and publication process.

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