This is a recorded session from the SGIM 2026 Annual Meeting.
General internists play a critical role in advancing evidence-based care and innovative health policy. Rapidly evolving research methodologies present both opportunities and challenges for generating impactful findings. Staying current with cutting-edge methods empowers generalist researchers to address complex questions, optimize methodological rigor, and secure funding in a competitive environment. Innovation and methodological rigor, in particular, are essential criteria for securing extramural funding. By highlighting emerging methodologies, this session equips general internists with the tools necessary to remain competitive in advancing impactful research, aligning with the meeting’s theme of “Individual Voices, Collective Impact: Advocating for Excellence in Academic Medicine.”
For this session, The SGIM Research Committee will present 4-5 of the most important peer-reviewed papers published in the past two years that demonstrate the application of novel methods in studies of interest to generalists.
Examples include Artificial Intelligence (AI)/natural language processing to conduct chart abstraction studies at scale, target trial emulation to conduct comparative effectiveness studies, machine learning for predictive modeling, causal inference for evaluating interventions, and network analysis for understanding complex healthcare systems. Special attention will be given to methods that address core generalist values and have translatable implications for policy and patient care.
A modified Delphi process will be used to identify papers for presentation, ensuring a systematic, consensus-driven approach to identify the most impactful and relevant peer-reviewed publications from the past two years. Throughout the year, SGIM Research Committee members will nominate, review, and select papers based on innovation, relevance, and translational potential for academic general medicine. We will devote at least two Research Committee meetings to discuss nominated papers and based on negotiated consensus, we will select 4-5 papers for presentation that reflect methodological rigor, innovation, and relevance to academic general medicine.
During the 60 minute presentation at the Annual Meeting, we will start with a 3 minute introduction, and then presenters will provide a concise overview of each selected paper and its methods (10 minutes per paper), highlighting its strengths, limitations, and applications, and offering practical tips for implementation.
The Research Committee member with the greatest expertise with the method will present the paper. The last 7 minutes of the presentation will be reserved for audience questions and discussion. By advancing individual expertise in emerging methodologies, we foster collective innovation and excellence, ensuring that our work continues to drive change in patient care and healthcare delivery.
CME/MOC Hours & Expiration Date
Expiration: June 1, 2029To receive CME credit only, you must (1) watch the entire presentation, then (2) click the Certificate item to claim your certificate (print/save for your records).To receive CME and MOC credit, you must (1) watch the entire presentation, (2) complete the brief MOC Assessment survey, and then (3) click the Certificate item to claim your certificate (print/save for your records).
- Himali Weerahandi, MD
UCSF Medical Center
- Melissa Y. Wei, MD, MPH, MS
University of California
Los Angeles David Geffen School of Medicine
- Seth A. Berkowitz, MD, MPH
University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill School of Medicine
- Timothy Anderson, MD, MAS
University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine
- Laura C. Hart, MD, MPH
Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Inc.
