Pilot study of the knowledge and attitude towards evidence based medicine of otolaryngology higher surgical trainees

Abstract

The objective of this survey is to provide an insight into the knowledge and attitude of the higher surgical trainees in Otolaryngology towards evidence based medicine and evaluate their understanding of medical statistics and use of evidence based medicine in patient management. A self administered anonymous questionnaire was distributed to twenty Specialist Registrars in Otolaryngology in Ireland during an annual National Otolaryngology Meeting. Of these, nineteen attempted the questionnaire and eighteen completed it. Three previously published questionnaires [Meserve et al. (2005) Med. Educ. Online.10, 1; McColl et al. (1998) BMJ.316, 361; Khan et al. (1999) J. Obst. Gynaecol.19, 231] were used in this survey. In general, there was a moderately welcoming attitude towards evidence based medicine. However, the survey findings indicate the need for incorporation of formal teaching of critical appraisal skills into medical education with a greater emphasis on involvement and dissemination of evidence based medicine in day to day practice.

What Are the Barriers to Residentsʼ Practicing Evidence-Based Medicine? A Systematic Review

“…Of these, one used focus groups, 15 and two used a combination of individual interviews and focus groups. 14,18 A more detailed description of the nine studies is displayed in 17,20,22 showed that 28% to 85% of the residents report time as an important limiting factor for using EBM concepts. In contrast, Allan et al 21 found that time was not a substantial barrier.…”

A systematic review on barriers, facilities, knowledge and attitude toward evidence-based medicine in Iran

“…The lowest familiarity and understanding were of CI, level of evidence, meta-analysis and OR respectively that matches greatly with results of previous researches. [58][59][60] In this study, the knowledge on relative risk and absolute risk was more than the terms such as clinical trial and systematic review that can be caused by outward meaning of these terms, because they appear to be simple, but in terms of statistics and methodology these concepts are complex and need further research. In general, the results of knowledge and perception of specific terms of EBM depict that the level of the presenters' awareness of the statistical and methodological terms is lower than practical terms at work.…”

Teaching Evidence Based Medicine to Surgery Residents-Is Journal Club the Best Format? A Systematic Review of the Literature

“…Although all studies have consistently shown high degrees of acceptance of EBM training amongst those surveyed, considerable variation in the existence or format of EBM training programs has been reported. [8][9][10][11][12] For instance, a survey of urology program directors found that the majority of programs (78%) reported having a formal educational activity related to EBM but the allotted time varied significantly across different programs (4.8-25.0 hours per year) and the majority devoted less time than what they thought was ideal. 10 A survey of urology residents found that while an overwhelming majority of residents felt EBM is an important part of their curriculum, only 28% reported receiving formal EBM training in their program.…”

“…10,12 Similarly, surveys of residents in other surgical specialties including otolaryngology and obstetrics and gynecology have found that there is insufficient formal training in their programs. 8,9,11 Thus, it is evident that EBM training is not standardized across different surgical specialties and there exist considerable variations in the teaching methods ranging from half-day workshops or lectures to regularly scheduled journal clubs. Which is the most effective method for teaching EBM is unknown.…”