The Southern Medical Journal (SMJ) is the official, peer-reviewed journal of the Southern Medical Association. It has a multidisciplinary and inter-professional focus that covers a broad range of topics relevant to physicians and other healthcare specialists.

SMJ // Article

Invited Commentary

The More You Know: What Is the Impact of Research Experience?

Authors: La Vonne Downey, PhD

Abstract

The more you know, the more you will learn and possibly the more you can do.1 This is one of the ideas behind using evidence-based medicine in the treatment of patients. The dividend that practitioners can receive from the increased investment in biomedical research could lead to improved diagnosis and subsequent treatment for patients. This could allow for practitioners to apply and incorporate the most up-to-date research to improve patient care. It could help bridge the gap and bring scientific evidence to the everyday practice of medicine. It could help practitioners to be a go-between for patients who have heard sound bits of the latest research findings and allow them to relate it to their treatments. It could also have a ground-up effect, with more physicians taking part in research. This would increase the number and types of studies that would in turn feed into more findings that could be applied to patient care.

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References

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