Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: The provision of training and support to contributors to the Cochrane Collaboration is a core objective of the Centres. Since its inception in 1994, the Australasian Cochrane Centre has developed a program of training and support initiatives designed to build capacity in the region and meet the changing needs of reviewers.
A survey to Australasian reviewers conducted by the Centre in 2001 indicated that whilst the majority of respondents felt the existing program met their needs, over 80 percent of respondents raised lack of time as a major barrier to completing a Cochrane systematic review [1].
In response to these findings, and in an effort to support reviewers across the spectrum of beginner to advanced , the Centre started to look at new and innovative strategies to support more advanced reviewers. Since 2001, the Australasian Cochrane Centre has conducted a variety of training workshops including a Review Completion Program, a Finishing School, and advanced statistics workshops. The Cochrane Advanced Reviewer Support (CARS) program, our most recent strategy to bridge the gap in reviewer support, was piloted in early 2004.
Objectives: To evaluate the outcomes of the Cochrane Advanced Reviewer Support (CARS) pilot.
Methods: Advanced Australasian reviewers, with at least one review published on the Cochrane Library, were invited to participate in the pilot program. Participating reviewers were asked to nominate discrete activities, requiring little or no interpretive work, which could be completed by project staff and would assist in timely completion or update of a Cochrane systematic review. The nature and extent of the tasks undertaken in the project were negotiated at the commencement of the pilot and were limited by the time and resource constraints of the program.
Results and Conclusions: The pilot program is currently underway and will be evaluated on its conclusion in mid 2004. Outcomes for the program include the number of reviewers accessing the service, the nature of services requested, costs, experiences and satisfaction of reviewers involved, and publication output. Implications of this pilot for the ongoing training and support program conducted by the Australasian Cochrane Centre will be discussed.
References: 1. Piehl JH, Green S, Silagy C. Training practitioners in preparing systematic reviews: a cross-sectional survey of participants in the Australasian Cochrane Centre training program. BMC Health Serv Res. 2002; 2:11-14.
A survey to Australasian reviewers conducted by the Centre in 2001 indicated that whilst the majority of respondents felt the existing program met their needs, over 80 percent of respondents raised lack of time as a major barrier to completing a Cochrane systematic review [1].
In response to these findings, and in an effort to support reviewers across the spectrum of beginner to advanced , the Centre started to look at new and innovative strategies to support more advanced reviewers. Since 2001, the Australasian Cochrane Centre has conducted a variety of training workshops including a Review Completion Program, a Finishing School, and advanced statistics workshops. The Cochrane Advanced Reviewer Support (CARS) program, our most recent strategy to bridge the gap in reviewer support, was piloted in early 2004.
Objectives: To evaluate the outcomes of the Cochrane Advanced Reviewer Support (CARS) pilot.
Methods: Advanced Australasian reviewers, with at least one review published on the Cochrane Library, were invited to participate in the pilot program. Participating reviewers were asked to nominate discrete activities, requiring little or no interpretive work, which could be completed by project staff and would assist in timely completion or update of a Cochrane systematic review. The nature and extent of the tasks undertaken in the project were negotiated at the commencement of the pilot and were limited by the time and resource constraints of the program.
Results and Conclusions: The pilot program is currently underway and will be evaluated on its conclusion in mid 2004. Outcomes for the program include the number of reviewers accessing the service, the nature of services requested, costs, experiences and satisfaction of reviewers involved, and publication output. Implications of this pilot for the ongoing training and support program conducted by the Australasian Cochrane Centre will be discussed.
References: 1. Piehl JH, Green S, Silagy C. Training practitioners in preparing systematic reviews: a cross-sectional survey of participants in the Australasian Cochrane Centre training program. BMC Health Serv Res. 2002; 2:11-14.