By young nephrologists, for young nephrologists: Research interpretation course now CME-accredited
By YNC Chair Bianca Davidson
Do you sometimes feel unsure when reading clinical research papers or meta-analyses? You’re not alone — recent surveys show that one of the biggest challenges reported by young nephrologists was limited training in research interpretation.
That’s where the ISN Young Nephrologists Capacity Building Committee steps in. To support early-career professionals, the YNC committee launched the “Interpreting the Evidence Series”— and it’s working. Over 67% of participants reported initially lacking confidence in evaluating research studies. After completing the course, they reported a significant boost in understanding and analytical skills — and earned up to 4.5 CME credits along the way.
The course guides participants through the nuances of study design, potential publication biases, and the interpretation of pooled results. Each module comprises a 30-minute recorded lecture by experts on how to critically appraise:
- Clinical trials
- Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
- Network meta-analyses
This recent course adds to the “ISN YNC Curriculum: Basics of Statistics for a Successful Start in Clinical Research, and a series of “How to” lectures offering guidance on presenting work on academic platforms, including abstract writing, poster design, and oral presentation. These resources were created in response to recent survey findings identifying the main challenges for young nephrologists as securing research funding and accessing research training opportunities.
The Interpreting the Evidence Series is a collaboration between the Young Nephrologists Committee (YNC) and the ISN Research Working Group. The Young Nephrologists Capacity Building Committee thanks all the experts and faculty who made this series possible: Stephanie Thompson, Yeoungjee Cho, and Giovanni Strippoli for recording the lectures, as well as Jonathan Barratt, Jonathan Craig, Rob Walker, and Giovanni Strippoli for their guidance during the live webinars. Their time, expertise, and dedication have created an invaluable learning resource for early-career nephrologists worldwide.
