Background: We performed a prospective controlled trial of a monthly journal club to determine if it would increase pediatric residents' knowledge of clinical epidemiology and biostatistics.
Methods: Intervention residents received two didactic sessions before the journal club started. Eight monthly journal club sessions followed. Pediatric residents at another institution served as controls. Intervention and control residents completed a pre- and post-test on clinical epidemiology and biostatistics.
Results: Neither the intervention nor the control group showed a significant change in test scores over the 9-month period.
Conclusion: A more intensive and more structured approach is needed to effectively teach clinical epidemiology and biostatistics to residents.