Audio-visual Resources of Testing Treatments (AVRTT)

Article type
Authors
Wang Q1, Yang N1, Chen YL1, Wei LL2, Si LJ2, Zhang J2, Liu GH3, Chen WJ4, Liu CY5, Yang KH1
1Evidence-Based Medicine Center of Lanzhou University; Key Laboratory of Evidence Based Medicine and Knowledge Translation of Gansu Province; Chinese GRADE Center
2School of Economics, Lanzhou University
3School of Law, Lanzhou University
4Philosophy and Sociology School, Lanzhou University
5School of Information Science & Engineering, Lanzhou University
Abstract
Background: High-quality evidence can support the improvement of healthcare. However, many physicians lack the ability to evaluate the literature, especially for the key terms of evidence-based medicine (EBM). One of the main reasons is the lack of targeted materials and effective methods in the medical education. Therefore, based on Testing Treatments interactive (a website including varied popular materials to help readers understand the important but obscure terms in the medical literature), we successfully applied for the E-learning project (from January, 2016 to June, 2017) funded by the China Medical Board.

Objectives: To develop audio-visual products for clarifying core terms of EBM and use mobile phones and internet to train medical students to improve their ability to understand and evaluate the literature.

Methods: We established a methodology steering committee and an implementation group. We firstly conducted a systematic review and a field survey for the baseline data of Chinese medical students’ ability to read and evaluate the literature. Then we selected the core terms of EBM and develop written material and audio-visual products, for teaching and clarifying these terms. Finally, we conducted a randomised-controlled trial to compare the training effectiveness of different products through the internet and smart phones.

Results: We established a methodology steering committee including eight members with different disciplines, such as evidence-based medicine, statistics, informatics. Some of them mentored medical students. We selected 10 key concepts for visualisation. Now we are conducting the randomised trial to compare the training effectiveness of written material and audio-visual products. We would like to share the whole E-learning project at the Summit.

Conclusions: This project is expected to improve the ability of medical students to read, understand and evaluate the literature, and help them utilise research evidence to make evidence-based clinical decisions in future.