Faculty mentor/PI email address
jim010@aol.com
Is your research Teaching and Learning based?
1
Keywords
Complex adaptive systems; Medical journals; System awareness; Scientific communication; Case reports; Letters to the editor
Date of Presentation
5-6-2026 12:00 AM
Poster Abstract
Background Healthcare operates as a complex adaptive system (CAS) characterized by distributed agents, nonlinear interactions, and emergent behavior. Effective adaptation depends on mechanisms capable of detecting and redistributing signals from across the system.
Objective To conceptualize the medical journal as a structured CAS report and to examine its role in supporting system awareness among clinicians.
Conceptual Model Recurring journal sections—including original research, reviews, editorials, clinical cases, perspectives, humanities, and letters—function as distinct sensing and signaling channels. Together, they provide a multi-dimensional representation of system activity.
Implications Journals serve not only as repositories of knowledge but as adaptive communication nodes that contribute to system awareness and feedback-driven adaptation.
Conclusion Regular engagement with journal content represents a professional discipline that supports system-level awareness. Contributions from clinicians—including case reports and letters—are essential to maintaining this sensing and feedback structure.
Disciplines
Medical Education | Medicine and Health Sciences | Scholarly Communication | Scholarly Publishing
Included in
Medical Education Commons, Scholarly Communication Commons, Scholarly Publishing Commons
Medical Journals as Complex Adaptive System (CAS) Reports: Reframing Journals as Structured Detection, Interpretation, and Feedback Systems in Healthcare
Background Healthcare operates as a complex adaptive system (CAS) characterized by distributed agents, nonlinear interactions, and emergent behavior. Effective adaptation depends on mechanisms capable of detecting and redistributing signals from across the system.
Objective To conceptualize the medical journal as a structured CAS report and to examine its role in supporting system awareness among clinicians.
Conceptual Model Recurring journal sections—including original research, reviews, editorials, clinical cases, perspectives, humanities, and letters—function as distinct sensing and signaling channels. Together, they provide a multi-dimensional representation of system activity.
Implications Journals serve not only as repositories of knowledge but as adaptive communication nodes that contribute to system awareness and feedback-driven adaptation.
Conclusion Regular engagement with journal content represents a professional discipline that supports system-level awareness. Contributions from clinicians—including case reports and letters—are essential to maintaining this sensing and feedback structure.