FPIN's philosophy as an organization is to develop family physicians who possess strong evidence-based medicine (EBM), critical appraisal, and scholarly writing skills. Building upon the foundational skills developed through FPIN's Good Evidence Matters (GEMs) project, HelpDesk Answers (HDAs) provide authors with the opportunity to advance their skills in literature searching, critical appraisal, and evidence synthesis. The HDA writing project is ideal for faculty and residents looking to strengthen their scholarly writing skills while answering clinically relevant questions using the best available evidence.

Who: The HDA writing project is ideal for faculty authors writing independently or alongside a team of fellow faculty members and/or residents. Resident authors must participate as part of a writing team led by a faculty co-author.

What: An HDA is a concise, structured research article (450–900 words) that provides an evidence-based answer to a clinical question using 2-5 of the most current and reliable patient-oriented references. HDAs undergo external peer review and editorial review before publication in FPIN's Evidence-Based Practice journal and are indexed in the CINAHL database.

Requirements for participation:

• Membership package that includes HDA access
• A faculty corresponding author who leads the writing project and oversees manuscript development
• One Local Editor (faculty) who agrees to review HDA manuscripts before submission for national editorial review
• Agreement to an annual production plan to determine the number and schedule of scholarship projects each year

Approximate Time Commitment: 18-24 hours for first-time authors and 10-12 hours for experienced authors. Manuscript development typically takes place over 10-12 weeks, followed by the editorial and publication process.

HDA Program Implementation

 If you have any questions, please email [email protected] or call 573-256-2066.