Do short courses in evidence based medicine improve knowledge and skills? Validation of Berlin questionnaire and before and after study of courses in evidence based medicine

Abstract Background Few studies have examined residents' retained knowledge and confidence regarding essential evidence-based medicine (EBM) topics. Objective To compare postgraduate year-3 (PGY-3) residents' confidence with EBM topics taught during internship with that of PGY-1 residents before and after exposure to an EBM curriculum. Methods All residents participated in an EBM curriculum during their intern year. We surveyed residents in 2009. PGY-1 residents completed a Likert-scale type survey (which included questions from the validated Berlin questionnaire and others, developed based on input from local EBM experts). We administered the Berlin questionnaire to a subset of PGY-3 residents. Results Forty-five PGY-3 (88%; n = 51) and 42 PGY-1 (91%; n = 46) residents completed the survey. Compared with PGY-1 residents pre-curriculum, PGY-3 residents were significantly more confident in their knowledge of pre- and posttest probability (mean difference, 1.14; P = .002), number needed to harm (mean difference, 1.09; P = .002), likelihood ratio (mean difference, 1.01; P = .003), formulation of a focused clinical question (mean difference, 0.98; P = .001), and critical appraisal of therapy articles (mean difference, 0.91; P = .002). Perceived confidence was significantly lower for PGY-3 than post-curriculum PGY-1 residents on relative risk (mean difference, −0.86; P = .002), study design for prognosis questions (mean difference, −0.75; P = .004), number needed to harm (mean difference, −0.67; P = .01), ability to critically appraise systematic reviews (mean difference, −0.65, P = .009), and retrieval of evidence (mean difference, −0.56; P = .008), among others. There was no relationship between confidence with and actual knowledge of EBM topics. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate lower confidence among PGY-3 than among PGY-1 internal medicine residents for several EBM topics. PGY-3 residents demonstrated poor knowledge of several core topics taught during internship. Longitudinal EBM curricula throughout residency may help reinforce residents' EBM knowledge and their confidence.

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Change in knowledge and skills of Year 3 undergraduates in evidence-based medicine seminars

Medical Education ◽

10.1111/j.1365-2929.2005.02191.x ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 39 (7) ◽

pp. 665-671 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Tobias Bernd Weberschock ◽

Timothy Charles Ginn ◽

Johannes Reinhold ◽

Reinhard Strametz ◽

Daniel Krug ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Evidence Based Medicine ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Knowledge And Skills ◽

Based Medicine

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Short courses in evidence based medicine can work

BMJ ◽

10.1136/bmj.325.7376.0/d ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 325 (7376) ◽

pp. 0d-0

Keyword(s):

Evidence Based Medicine ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Short Courses ◽

Based Medicine

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A Study on How Using an Interactive Multimedia E-Book Improves Teachers’ Ability to Teach Evidence-Based Medicine, Depending on Their Seniority

10.21203/rs.3.rs-156325/v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yu-Hsuan Liao ◽

Kuo-Shu Tang ◽

Chih-Jen Chen ◽

Ying-Hsien Huang ◽

Mao-Meng Tiao

Keyword(s):

Evidence Based Medicine ◽

Clinical Teaching ◽

Teaching Method ◽

Control Group ◽

Study Group ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Fresno Test ◽

Before And After ◽

Study Type ◽

Based Medicine

Abstract Background Teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM) is not an easy task. The role of the electronic book (e-book) is a useful supplement to traditional methods for improving skills. Our aim is to use an e-book or PowerPoint to evaluate instructors’ teaching effects. Methods Our study group was introduced to learning evidence-based medicine (EBM) using an interactive e-book available on the Internet, while the control group used a PowerPoint presentation. We adopted the Modified Fresno test to assess EBM skills before and after their learning. EBM teaching sessions via e-book or PowerPoint were 20–30 minutes long, followed by students’ feedback. We adopted the Mann-Whitney U tests to compare teachers’ evaluation of their EBM skills and the students’ assessment of the teachers’ instruction. Results We found no difference of EBM skills between the two groups prior to their experimental learning. Physicians in the study group ranked higher in “Choose a case to explain which kind of research design is used for the study type of the question and explain your choice” (P = 0.011) and “How are the important results expressed in the articles found” (P = 0.023), which was assessed by the Modified Fresno test. Teaching effect was better in the e-book group than in the control group for the items, “I am satisfied with this lesson,” “The teaching was of high quality,” “This was a good teaching method,” and “It aroused my interest in EBM.” No difference was observed between the two groups in the physicians with more than 10 years’ experience. Conclusions The use of interactive e-books in clinical teaching can enhance teachers’ EBM skills and teaching and is thus clinically useful.

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