Article type
Year
Abstract
Background:
High-quality evidence can support the improvement of the quality of health care. However, many physicians lack the ability to read and evaluate the literature, especially for the key terms of evidence-based medicine (EBM). One of the main reasons for this phenomenon is the lack of targeted materials and effective methods in the education of medical students. We conducted an e-learning project funded by China Medical Board (CMB) from 2015 to 2017.
Objectives:
To develop some audio-visual products for clarifying core terms of EBM and use of mobile phones and the internet to train medical students to improve their ability to understand and evaluate the literature.
Methods:
We conducted three studies:
1) a systematic review to identify the effectiveness of EBM teaching interventions for Chinese medical students;
2) a questionnaire survey to explore the difficulties and experience in reading and evaluating the literature among medical students;
3) a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to develop and compare written material and audio-visual products for selected core terms of EBM.
Results:
The systematic review showed that EBM education should not follow the traditional lecture-based learning in China. Problem-based learning and other innovative methods should be explored. The Chinese medical students faced some challenges in reading the literature, such as having difficulties in understanding methodological terms and jargon. We developed some audio-visual products (Figure 1, a small part of a product). We are going to present the whole progress and final reports for more suggestions and comments at the 25th Cochrane Colloquium.
Conclusions:
The audio-visual resources for key EBM terms and concepts could improve medical students’ interests and help them to read and understand research evidence better. In combination with e-learning approaches (such as mobile phone or website), these vivid educational resources have great potential for both professional and non-professional education.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement:
The health educational resources should involve patients or consumers, who could provide help in the design, acceptability and usability. As a part of e-health, e-learning is important to promote the equitable access to health information among consumers.
High-quality evidence can support the improvement of the quality of health care. However, many physicians lack the ability to read and evaluate the literature, especially for the key terms of evidence-based medicine (EBM). One of the main reasons for this phenomenon is the lack of targeted materials and effective methods in the education of medical students. We conducted an e-learning project funded by China Medical Board (CMB) from 2015 to 2017.
Objectives:
To develop some audio-visual products for clarifying core terms of EBM and use of mobile phones and the internet to train medical students to improve their ability to understand and evaluate the literature.
Methods:
We conducted three studies:
1) a systematic review to identify the effectiveness of EBM teaching interventions for Chinese medical students;
2) a questionnaire survey to explore the difficulties and experience in reading and evaluating the literature among medical students;
3) a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to develop and compare written material and audio-visual products for selected core terms of EBM.
Results:
The systematic review showed that EBM education should not follow the traditional lecture-based learning in China. Problem-based learning and other innovative methods should be explored. The Chinese medical students faced some challenges in reading the literature, such as having difficulties in understanding methodological terms and jargon. We developed some audio-visual products (Figure 1, a small part of a product). We are going to present the whole progress and final reports for more suggestions and comments at the 25th Cochrane Colloquium.
Conclusions:
The audio-visual resources for key EBM terms and concepts could improve medical students’ interests and help them to read and understand research evidence better. In combination with e-learning approaches (such as mobile phone or website), these vivid educational resources have great potential for both professional and non-professional education.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement:
The health educational resources should involve patients or consumers, who could provide help in the design, acceptability and usability. As a part of e-health, e-learning is important to promote the equitable access to health information among consumers.