Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Cochrane has developed activities in Colombia for approximately 20 years, however, it was only until 2019 that the Cochrane Colombia Geographic Center was officially established, with the participation of four associated centers. One of them is located in the University Foundation of Health Sciences (FUCS), which is an institution that belongs to Cochrane since 2012, and has been working to increase in its postgraduate students the knowledge and practical use of SR as tool to inform decisions in clinical practice.
Objectives: To describe the knowledge about systematic reviews (RSL) and meta-analysis (MA) in a sample of postgraduate students from a medical school belonging to Cochrane Colombia Geographic Center (Cochrane Associated Center-FUCS), and to assess the level of information that students have about Cochrane as an organization.
Methods:
Design: Cross sectional study. Setting and participants: Between January and March 2020, a survey was sent to a sample of graduate students from a medical school in Bogotá. Students belong to a set of different clinical specialization programs (example: internal medicine, surgery, others), who in their formative process receive specific training in research methods, including RS education. Sample size assumptions: To establish the sample size assumptions, a pilot survey was conducted with 30 randomly chosen students. Sampling frame of graduate students (N=676), expected percentage of right interpretations of a pooled effect (89%), maximum expected difference (5%, two tailed test) and alpha value (0.05). The calculated sample size was 124 students. Variables and measurement tool: It was used a structured questionnaire, looking for sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge about SR, MA and Cochrane as an organization. Analysis: A descriptive analysis was performed using absolute and relative frequencies. For numerical variables central tendency and dispersion measures were used. In order to make inferences to our population of graduate students, 95% CIs were calculated
Results: 142 students answered the survey, of which 52.8% were women. The average age was 28.2 years (SD: 4.1 years). 80.9% have previous training in epidemiology (master of specialization). 92.3% know the correct concept of a SR and 78.9% was able to identify the right steps for a SR (know the process), (see Table 1).
Conclusions:The results of this study allow us to have a baseline to strengthen the formative process of postgraduate medical students both in theoretical aspects and those related to the Cochrane Network. Future studies should explore aspects related to teaching methodologies, as well as strengths and barriers that students identify to develop RSL.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: Graduate students from a medical school in Bogotá are consumers involvement. They are developing competencies to critically understand and appreciate an RSL-MA
Objectives: To describe the knowledge about systematic reviews (RSL) and meta-analysis (MA) in a sample of postgraduate students from a medical school belonging to Cochrane Colombia Geographic Center (Cochrane Associated Center-FUCS), and to assess the level of information that students have about Cochrane as an organization.
Methods:
Design: Cross sectional study. Setting and participants: Between January and March 2020, a survey was sent to a sample of graduate students from a medical school in Bogotá. Students belong to a set of different clinical specialization programs (example: internal medicine, surgery, others), who in their formative process receive specific training in research methods, including RS education. Sample size assumptions: To establish the sample size assumptions, a pilot survey was conducted with 30 randomly chosen students. Sampling frame of graduate students (N=676), expected percentage of right interpretations of a pooled effect (89%), maximum expected difference (5%, two tailed test) and alpha value (0.05). The calculated sample size was 124 students. Variables and measurement tool: It was used a structured questionnaire, looking for sociodemographic characteristics and knowledge about SR, MA and Cochrane as an organization. Analysis: A descriptive analysis was performed using absolute and relative frequencies. For numerical variables central tendency and dispersion measures were used. In order to make inferences to our population of graduate students, 95% CIs were calculated
Results: 142 students answered the survey, of which 52.8% were women. The average age was 28.2 years (SD: 4.1 years). 80.9% have previous training in epidemiology (master of specialization). 92.3% know the correct concept of a SR and 78.9% was able to identify the right steps for a SR (know the process), (see Table 1).
Conclusions:The results of this study allow us to have a baseline to strengthen the formative process of postgraduate medical students both in theoretical aspects and those related to the Cochrane Network. Future studies should explore aspects related to teaching methodologies, as well as strengths and barriers that students identify to develop RSL.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: Graduate students from a medical school in Bogotá are consumers involvement. They are developing competencies to critically understand and appreciate an RSL-MA