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Case studies are an invaluable record of the clinical practices of a profession. While case studies cannot provide specific guidance for the management of successive patients, they are a record of clinical interactions which help us to frame questions for more rigorously designed clinical studies. Case studies also provide valuable teaching material, demonstrating both classical and unusual presentations which may confront the practitioner. Quite obviously, since the overwhelming majority of clinical interactions occur in the field, not in teaching or research facilities, it falls to the field practitioner to record and pass on their experiences. However, field practitioners generally are not well-practised in writing for publication, and so may hesitate to embark on the task of carrying a case study to publication. These guidelines are intended to assist the relatively novice writer – practitioner or student – in efficiently navigating the relatively easy course to publication of a quality case study. Guidelines are not intended to be proscriptive, and so throughout this document we advise what authors “may” or “should” do, rather than what they “must” do. Authors may decide that the particular circumstances of their case study justify digression from our recommendations.
Additional and useful resources for chiropractic case studies include:
1.Waalen JK. Single subject research designs. J Can Chirop Assoc 1991; 35(2):95–97.
2.Gleberzon BJ. A peer-reviewer’s plea. J Can Chirop Assoc 2006; 50(2):107.
3.Merritt L. Case reports: an important contribution to chiropractic literature. J Can Chiropr Assoc 2007; 51(2):72–74.
Portions of these guidelines were derived from Budgell B. Writing a biomedical research paper. Tokyo: Springer Japan KK, 2008.
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Health & Medical Clinical Practices of A Profession Discussion
Case studies play a crucial role in the medical field as they serve as a valuable record of clinical practices. While they may not offer specific guidance for managing individual patients, they provide clinicians with insights into clinical interactions and help formulate research questions for more rigorous studies. Additionally, case studies serve as important teaching material, featuring both common and uncommon presentations that practitioners may encounter.
Field practitioners, who are primarily engaged in clinical practice rather than research or teaching, bear the responsibility of documenting and sharing their experiences. However, many practitioners may lack experience in writing for publication and may hesitate to undertake the task of publishing a case study. This set of guidelines aims to assist both novice writers and students in efficiently navigating the publication process of a high-quality case study. It is important to note that these guidelines are not intended to be restrictive, and authors have the freedom to deviate from them based on the specific circumstances of their case study.
In summary, case studies are a valuable tool in medical education and research. They provide a comprehensive account of clinical practices and serve as a basis for further investigations. The guidelines presented here will aid aspiring writers in successfully publishing their case studies, bridging the gap between clinical practice and academic literature.
