Article type
Year
Abstract
Background: Knowledge translation (KT) in health sciences has been defined as “a dynamic and iterative process that includes synthesis, dissemination, exchange and ethically sound application of knowledge to improve the health, provide more effective health services and products and strengthen the health care system”. It does not only consist on the dissemination of information but rather in the real use of the knowledge produced by clinical research, clinical experience and patients’ preferences.
Many initiatives have been undertaken to address the need of improving KT; one of them included the participation of health sciences students, Students for Best Evidence (S4BE). S4BE is a platform made from students for students about evidence in health sciences; it reached great success among English speaking countries. We have identified that this type of resource is necessary to be available on a multilingual platform due to language barriers that are common in many non-English speaking countries. Therefore, Estudiantes por la Mejor Evidencia (ExME) is a Spanish initiative within the S4BE - Cochrane Project.
Objectives: To produce, translate, and disseminate content related to the best evidence in health sciences. The platform has been hosted in a web page, in blog format, to help students make better clinical and health decisions.
Methods: ExME is an initiative that gathers students and stakeholders from seven different Spanish-speaking countries. We have developed a system of contributions for students of all levels. Undergrad and grad students write the blog entries from their own queries and submit them, then postgraduate, masters and doctoral students check the manuscript and give comments and advise to the authors. Subsequently,, an editorial process in charge of the coordinating committee takes place. Finally the blog entry is published in the website of the initiative. Regarding the translations, they follow a similar path.After being published, every blog entry is shared on the social media accounts to be spread throughout the internet.
Results: We identified several students that are interested in producing, translating and disseminate entries for ExME initiative. They prepared the first blogs that are ready to be published. Also, the coordinating committee developed prioritized topics according to the interests of the students currently involved and new blogs are being prepared.
Conclusions: Knowledge translation initiatives like ExME are desperately needed in health sciences. The involvement of students in the early stages of their carriers is crucial to improve it. We expect that more students continue to join our initiative.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: Not applicable at the moment, but it is in our best interest to open a space in the platform for the perspectives of patients.
Many initiatives have been undertaken to address the need of improving KT; one of them included the participation of health sciences students, Students for Best Evidence (S4BE). S4BE is a platform made from students for students about evidence in health sciences; it reached great success among English speaking countries. We have identified that this type of resource is necessary to be available on a multilingual platform due to language barriers that are common in many non-English speaking countries. Therefore, Estudiantes por la Mejor Evidencia (ExME) is a Spanish initiative within the S4BE - Cochrane Project.
Objectives: To produce, translate, and disseminate content related to the best evidence in health sciences. The platform has been hosted in a web page, in blog format, to help students make better clinical and health decisions.
Methods: ExME is an initiative that gathers students and stakeholders from seven different Spanish-speaking countries. We have developed a system of contributions for students of all levels. Undergrad and grad students write the blog entries from their own queries and submit them, then postgraduate, masters and doctoral students check the manuscript and give comments and advise to the authors. Subsequently,, an editorial process in charge of the coordinating committee takes place. Finally the blog entry is published in the website of the initiative. Regarding the translations, they follow a similar path.After being published, every blog entry is shared on the social media accounts to be spread throughout the internet.
Results: We identified several students that are interested in producing, translating and disseminate entries for ExME initiative. They prepared the first blogs that are ready to be published. Also, the coordinating committee developed prioritized topics according to the interests of the students currently involved and new blogs are being prepared.
Conclusions: Knowledge translation initiatives like ExME are desperately needed in health sciences. The involvement of students in the early stages of their carriers is crucial to improve it. We expect that more students continue to join our initiative.
Patient or healthcare consumer involvement: Not applicable at the moment, but it is in our best interest to open a space in the platform for the perspectives of patients.