Is There a Role for Spin Doctors in Med Ed Research?

As an optimistic person, I understand the desire on the part of others to view the world through rose-colored glasses, see the cup as half filled, and generally look on the bright side of things. The world of medical education is replete with those who honestly view events more positively than skeptically. One might even say that optimism is an essential trait for those who toil in the medical education fields today. In the public arena, spin is associated with reframing the current story into one that is favorable to the speaker with the goal of manipulating public opinion. In fact entire careers are made through functioning as a “spin doctor.” However, medical education research suffers greatly from the influence of this spin in selling the research results in order to publish. Spin blurs the distinction between what may work and what likely will not. In this article I will define spin in education research, discuss why the practice is harmful, and propose safeguards to avoid this type of manipulation in crafting and writing education research. I can be considered an expert in this area because I violated most of these precepts early in my career. My comments pertain primarily to quantitative research where these concerns are most prevalent.