Have you ever participated in peer review? If you haven’t had the opportunity to do so, I would highly encourage you to talk to some of your professors. Several faculty members are frequently asked to review papers for different journals in their area of specialty. Assisting them in this process can allow us to learn more about certain areas of practice and gain experience in a different aspect of pharmacists’ role.
I recently had the opportunity to help review a paper with one of my professors and I learned a lot throughout the process. Not only did it allow me to learn more about a relevant topic but it also helped me develop my evaluation skills. I definitely feel more confident in my ability to critically analyze papers, which is a helpful skill to have considering that healthcare professionals sometimes have to conduct literature searches to support clinical decisions. If you are planning on conducting research, peer review can also be valuable as it can provide insights on mistakes or barriers that authors commonly face.
Aside from providing a good learning experience, peer review is also a very important process for patient care. When health care professionals utilize the scientific literature to help guide treatment decisions, the quality of reviews submitted can theoretically influence patient outcomes. Journals receive a very high number of submissions, and reviewers play an important role in determining the quality of articles published. Many of us will likely be asked to help review articles so why not get a head start! Peer reviewing is not an easy task. It can take a while to become adept at evaluating articles and providing constructive feedback.
If you already know which area of practice you are interested in, I encourage you to reach out to one of your professors specialized in this area. If you are still unsure, you can use this as an opportunity to learn more about a new specialty. Participating in the peer review process can be a very valuable experience and gives you the opportunity to acquire valuable skills that can set yourself apart.