If you are a GP or a GP trainee, the Medicine Today Journal is free to subscribe to as long as you have a valid provider number. This journal is packed with up to date and relevant topics that are encountered in general practice and there is also a supplementary journal that comes with it and focuses on a specific specialty (e.g. respiratory medicine).
To make it easier to access on the go or at work you can read all the articles online at their website (www.medicinetoday.com.au) where there is access to patient handouts, clinical flowcharts, quizzes and CPD activities.
Tips on how to learn from journal articles
Ensure you are in the right frame of mind and are set up to learn from the article. It is better to put off reading the journal than to read it without taking in any information.
Read the whole article from start to finish before taking notes (by hand or electronically). This will help you gain an understanding of the topic and help you process it easier; the notes are then taken to help solidify the new information.
During note taking be succinct and use as many diagrams as possible to explain concepts.
Link what you learn to any cases you have seen and reflect on learning points from the article. For a guide on how to reflect effectively check out this article here.
Complete the CPD activities for the articles that you read online, not only is it for your portfolio, it helps you consolidate the information you have learned.
For interesting articles that you can’t make notes on (e.g. dermatology cases) you can attach a small sticky tab to the page and name it. This can be a source of revision for you in the future.
All the articles and CPD activities are available online as well.
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