A common citation style in medical and scientific journals that lists authors as surname followed by initials, then the article title, journal, year, and publication details.

The part of a reference that lists all authors in `Surname Initials` format before the first period; for example, `March CA, Scholl G, Dversdal RK`.

Initials in citations

Abbreviated given names that follow the surname; `CA` in `March CA` represents given-name initials, not a state or country code.

Geographic abbreviation (CA)

A two-letter code indicating a place, such as CA for California, usually following a city name (for example, `Los Angeles, CA`) or used in narrative text.

Context clues for March CA

If March CA appears at the start of a reference, followed by other `Surname Initials` and then the article title, it identifies an author, not a month or state.

A standardized reference to a published work that includes authors, year, title, journal, and publication details, allowing readers to locate the original source.

Letters representing a person's given and sometimes middle names; in citations they follow the surname, for example, `CA` in `March CA`.

What is Author block?

The initial part of a reference where all authors are listed, usually in `Surname Initials` format, before the article title and journal information.

What is Vancouver style?

A widely used citation format in medicine and health sciences that presents authors as surname followed by initials, then the article title, journal name (often abbreviated), year, volume, issue, and pages or article number.

March CA as an Author in Medical Education Research — Understanding March CA References in Education and Research

From Month and State to Scholar: Who is March CA?

Same Letters, New Meaning

In policy documents, "March" and "CA" usually mean a month and the state of California. In research articles, the same letters can represent a person instead.

Meet March CA

When you see `March CA, Scholl G, Dversdal RK` in a reference list, this is a list of authors. Here, March is the surname and C and A are initials of the given and middle names.

Why It Matters

Recognizing March CA as an author (not a date or place) helps you correctly identify who did the research and how to find their other work in medical education.

Module Focus

You will practice spotting March CA as an author, distinguishing initials from state abbreviations, and using citation context to interpret references accurately.

Anatomy of a Medical Education Citation

Core Parts of a Citation

Most medical education references include: authors, year, article title, journal title, and publication details such as volume, issue, pages or article number.

Vancouver-Style Example

`March CA, Scholl G, Dversdal RK. Teaching clinical reasoning in undergraduate medical education. Med Educ. 2022;56(4):345-352.`

Interpreting the Example

Everything before the first period is the author list. That means March CA, Scholl G, and Dversdal RK are all authors on the article.

General Rule

Different styles move the year around, but the author block always comes first. A pattern like `Surname Initials` repeated with commas signals author names.

Spotting March CA in Realistic References

Example 1: First Author

`March CA, Scholl G, Dversdal RK. Integrating telehealth into clinical skills training for medical students. Acad Med. 2021;96(9):e45-e52.`

Example 2: Middle Author

`Scholl G, March CA, Dversdal RK. Resident perceptions of virtual ward rounds during the COVID-19 pandemic. J Grad Med Educ. 2020;12(6):678-685.`

Example 3: Second Author

`Dversdal RK, March CA. Point-of-care ultrasound workshops in internal medicine clerkships: a mixed-methods evaluation. BMC Med Educ. 2019;19:210.`

Contrast With Policy Text

In `Board meeting scheduled for March, CA schools, 2021.`, March is a month and CA is a state. In citations, `March CA` is a compact author name block, not a date or location.

How Initials Work in Author Names

Surname + Initials Pattern

Author names are usually formatted as a full surname followed by given-name initials: `March CA` = surname March, given names starting with C and A.

Style Variations

You might see `March CA`, `March C A`, or `March, C.A.` depending on the journal style, but all represent the same basic name structure.

Clues It Is Not California

CA after March is part of the author block, comes before the article title, and appears alongside other `Surname Initials` entries like `Scholl G`.

When CA Means California

When CA means the state, it usually follows a city (for example, `Los Angeles, CA`) or appears in narrative text, not in the compact author list at the start of a reference.

Activity: Author or Place?

Decide whether CA is part of an author name or a place (California) in each snippet. Answer in your head or jot it down.

`March CA, Scholl G. Assessing clinical reasoning in OSCE stations. Med Teach. 2023;45(2):123-130.`

Is CA an author initial or a place?

`Presented at the Society for Simulation in Healthcare, Los Angeles, CA, March 2022.`

Is CA an author initial or a place?

`March CA, Dversdal RK, Nguyen T. Implementing a longitudinal ultrasound curriculum. Clin Teach. 2020;17(5):e89-e95.`

Is CA an author initial or a place?

`Data were collected from three hospitals in March; CA facilities reported higher participation than OR facilities.`

Is CA an author initial or a place?

Check your reasoning:

`March CA, Scholl G.` → Author initials. The pattern `Surname Initials, Surname Initials` at the start of a reference indicates authors.
`Los Angeles, CA, March 2022.` → Place. CA follows a city name and is separated by commas.
`March CA, Dversdal RK, Nguyen T.` → Author initials. Again, a list of `Surname Initials` before the title.
`CA facilities reported...` → Place. CA modifies "facilities" and is contrasted with OR (Oregon), so both are state abbreviations.

Try to explain to yourself which punctuation and position clues helped you decide in each case. Those same clues will help you recognize March CA as an author in real articles.

Quick Check: Reading Citation Structure

Use what you have learned about citation structure and initials to answer this question.

In the reference `March CA, Scholl G, Dversdal RK. Bedside teaching in internal medicine clerkships. Med Educ. 2022;56(7):612-620.`, which statement is MOST accurate?

March CA is the first author, with March as the surname and C and A as given-name initials.
March CA refers to the month and state (March in California) when the study was conducted.
CA is the country code for Canada, so March is a Canadian institution listed as an author.

Show Answer

Answer: A) March CA is the first author, with March as the surname and C and A as given-name initials.

In Vancouver-style citations, the segment before the first period lists authors as `Surname Initials`. `March CA` follows that pattern, so March is the surname and C and A are initials. It is not a date, a state, or a country code.

Comparing Policy Text vs Research Citations

Policy vs Research: Pair 1

Policy: `...webinars in March. CA teachers are encouraged...` vs Reference: `March CA, Scholl G. Online modules to support clinical reasoning...`

Policy vs Research: Pair 2

Policy: `In March 2021, the CA Supreme Court...` vs Reference: `Dversdal RK, March CA, Patel R. Impact of funding changes on residency program resources...`

Sentence vs List

Policy text uses full sentences; references open with compact lists of names in `Surname Initials` format. That list structure is a strong cue you are seeing authors.

Checklist for CA

Ask: Is CA after a city or part of a subject like `CA Supreme Court` (state)? Or is CA glued to a surname in an author list like `March CA` (initials)?

Practice: Rewrite and Interpret a Citation

Work through this two-part exercise.

Part 1: Expand the initials

You see this citation in a medical education paper:

`March CA, Scholl G, Dversdal RK. Peer-assisted learning in ultrasound education for medical students. BMC Med Educ. 2020;20:250.`

Rewrite the author line using hypothetical full names. For example:

March CA → March, Chris A.
Scholl G → Scholl, Grace
Dversdal RK → Dversdal, Robert K.

Your exact names can be imaginary; the point is to keep the surname + initials structure.

Say out loud (or write) a sentence like:

"This study was conducted by Chris A. March, Grace Scholl, and Robert K. Dversdal."

Part 2: Explain why CA is not California

Answer these questions for yourself:

What comes immediately after `March CA` in the citation?
Is there any city name before `CA`?
Is `CA` used in a phrase like `CA schools` or `CA Supreme Court`?

If your answers are:

After `March CA` you see another name (`Scholl G`),
There is no city name before `CA`, and
`CA` is not used as a descriptor of institutions or courts,

then you have strong evidence that CA is an initial, not the state abbreviation.

Repeat this reasoning with two more citations you find online in medical or health professions education journals. Each time, highlight where the author block ends and where the title begins.

Key Terms and Patterns Review

Use these flashcards to reinforce the main ideas about citations and author initials.

Vancouver style: A common citation style in medical and scientific journals that lists authors as surname followed by initials, then the article title, journal, year, and publication details.
Author block: The part of a reference that lists all authors in `Surname Initials` format before the first period; for example, `March CA, Scholl G, Dversdal RK`.
Initials in citations: Abbreviated given names that follow the surname; `CA` in `March CA` represents given-name initials, not a state or country code.
Geographic abbreviation (CA): A two-letter code indicating a place, such as CA for California, usually following a city name (for example, `Los Angeles, CA`) or used in narrative text.
Context clues for March CA: If March CA appears at the start of a reference, followed by other `Surname Initials` and then the article title, it identifies an author, not a month or state.
Medical education research: A field that studies how health professionals are trained, often using journals like Medical Education, Academic Medicine, and BMC Medical Education.

Key Terms

Citation: A standardized reference to a published work that includes authors, year, title, journal, and publication details, allowing readers to locate the original source.
Initials: Letters representing a person's given and sometimes middle names; in citations they follow the surname, for example, `CA` in `March CA`.
Author block: The initial part of a reference where all authors are listed, usually in `Surname Initials` format, before the article title and journal information.
Vancouver style: A widely used citation format in medicine and health sciences that presents authors as surname followed by initials, then the article title, journal name (often abbreviated), year, volume, issue, and pages or article number.
Geographic abbreviation: A short code for a place, such as CA for California or OR for Oregon, commonly used after a city name or in policy text.
Medical education research: Research focused on how medical students, residents, and other health professionals are taught, assessed, and supported during their training.