Fracture to Union Surgery Investigators Team (FUSE-IT) Journal Club

FUSE-IT Objectives:

• Strengthen the field of surgical outcomes in orthopedics by providing a definitive guide and summary of research-based treatment modalities through publications detailing the results of the current literature. 
• Train the next generation of orthopedic surgeons on how to appraise the literature critically and efficiently, obtain the best available evidence bearing on their questions, evaluate the strength of the studies' methodologies, extract the clinical conclusion, apply it back to the patients, and store it for retrieval when faced with similar patients in the future.
• Employ lifelong learning skills in evidence-based orthopedics through advocating how to frame a clinical quandary to facilitate the use of the literature in its resolution. 
• Improve and encourage mentorship, presentation, leadership, critical thinking, and communication skills.
• Support a collegial environment where faculty, residents, and students can share an open exchange of ideas leading to stimulating discussions.

The club participants:

FUSE-IT journal club encourages a wide spectrum of orthopedic care team members and researchers to attend. Invitations are department-based (faculty, fellows, researchers, residents, and students within the University of Colorado School of Medicine), multicenter (University of Colorado Hospital & Denver Health Medical Center), and multidisciplinary (orthopedics, plastic surgery, general surgery, rheumatology, physical medicine & rehabilitation, biomechanical engineers, etc.) We are commonly seeing up to 15 participants each meeting but anticipating larger numbers as the club is quickly and organically growing.

The club design:

We conduct biweekly (2 sessions each month) meetings that apply an evidence-based format to a specific topic where we examine research studies (not exceeding 3 articles per meeting) that encourage discussion and debate.   

We selected materials to focus on classic and most up-to-date journal articles. There is a particular focus on translational research and/or articles driving evidenced-based orthopedic care. The orthopedic surgery PGY4 and PGY3 who are FUSE-IT ambassadors for the year will have a leading role in topic/article selection. The next meeting’s topic/articles are chosen before the current meeting so that all participants stay informed and prepared. 

Every meeting has a presentation comprising three clinical scenarios and research questions associated with the chosen topic. The presenter will provide an evidence-based discussion and potential clinical solutions for these scenarios along with ongoing questions based on the current literature

FUSE-IT team considers the following for topic selection: 

• New clinical and basic science orthopedic literature in all subspecialties. 
• Classic literature supporting the current practice
• Articles generating clinical controversy
• Articles reflecting original research rather than review articles or opinion pieces

Length:

Frequency:

Biweekly, every other Wednesday at 11:15 AM after the weekly scheduled residency didactic curriculum.  Every two to three months, meetings will occur at a more central location (between University of Colorado Hospital and Denver Health) and in the afternoon to encourage participants who cannot attend FUSE-IT meetings in person or at all due to its usually scheduled time/location. 

Location:

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

The FUSE-IT journal club is a hybrid format, allowing in-person participation in the department conference room or via zoom link broadcasting the presentations and discussions.

FUSE-IT leaders will schedule off-campus meetings at 6:00 pm at venues around Denver to encourage a larger and more social gathering that allows all invitees to attend at the end of the workday (and not our regularly scheduled 11:15 am time slot).

For information regarding our Zoom link or class schedule, please contact Mia Kuehn.