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) and HelpDesk Answers (HDAs) projects, Clinical Inquiries (CIs) provide experienced faculty authors with the opportunity to further advance their skills in systematic literature searching, critical appraisal, and evidence synthesis. The CI writing project is ideal for faculty members with established evidence-based medicine and scholarly writing experience who are interested in answering clinically relevant questions using the best available evidence.

Who: The CI writing project is designed for experienced faculty corresponding authors with advanced skills in literature searching, critical appraisal, and medical writing. Corresponding authors may collaborate with other faculty members and/or residents, with a maximum of three authors per manuscript. Participation is available to FPIN member programs by invitation as editorial capacity becomes available.

What: A Clinical Inquiry is a peer-reviewed, evidence-based article that answers a clinician-formulated question through a systematic literature search, critical appraisal, and synthesis of the best available evidence. CIs are published in peer-reviewed journals, including American Family Physician and FPIN's Evidence-Based Practice journal.

Requirements for Participation: 

• FPIN membership and an invitation to participate in the CI writing project 
• A faculty corresponding author who submits a CV and completes an interview with the CI Editor-in-Chief before approval
• Demonstrated expertise in literature searching, critical appraisal, interpretation of medical statistics, and scholarly writing
• A writing team of no more than three authors, including the corresponding author
• Commitment to meeting established manuscript deadlines, responding to editorial feedback, and completing the required editorial review process

Approximate Time Commitment: The CI writing and editorial process typically takes 8-9 months from approval of the clinical question to journal submission. The time required for manuscript development varies based on the complexity of the question, available evidence, and number of editorial revisions.