Authors: Colin P West Thomas M Jaeger Furman S McDonald
Publish Date: 2011/02/01
Volume: 26, Issue: 6, Pages: 611-615
Abstract
We evaluated EBM attitudes and knowledge of medical students as they progressed through an EBM curriculum The first component of the curriculum was an EBM “short course” with didactic and smallgroup sessions occurring at the end of the second year The second component integrated EBM assignments with thirdyear clinical rotations The 15point Berlin Questionnaire was administered before the course in 2006 and 2007 after the short course and at the end of the third year The 212point Fresno Test was administered before the course in 2007 and 2008 after the short course and at the end of the third year Selfreported knowledge and attitudes were also assessed in all three classes of medical studentsEBM knowledge scores on the 15point Berlin Questionnaire increased from baseline by 30 points 200 at the end of the second year portion of the course p 001 and by 34 points 227 at the end of the third year p 001 EBM knowledge scores on the 212point Fresno Test increased from baseline by 397 points 187 at the end of the second year portion of the course p 001 and by 546 points 258 at the end of the third year p 001 On a 5point scale selfrated EBM knowledge increased from baseline by 10 and 14 points respectively both p 001 EBM was felt to be of high importance for medical education and clinical practice at all time points with increases noted after both components of the curriculumA longitudinal medical school EBM was associated with markedly increased EBM knowledge on two validated instruments Both components of the curriculum were associated with gains in knowledge The curriculum was also associated with increased perceptions of the importance of EBM for medical education and clinical practice
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