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Effect of continuous education for evidence‐based medicine practice on knowledge, attitudes and skills of medical students
Author(s) -
Liabsuetrakul Tippawan,
Sirirak Thanitha,
Boonyapipat Sathana,
Pornsawat Panumad
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of evaluation in clinical practice
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.737
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2753
pISSN - 1356-1294
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2753.2012.01828.x
Subject(s) - summative assessment , curriculum , test (biology) , medical education , medicine , medical knowledge , knowledge retention , psychology , family medicine , formative assessment , mathematics education , pedagogy , paleontology , biology
Objective To assess the effect of the integration of evidence‐based medicine (EBM) in a medical curriculum using small‐group discussions with case scenario and problem‐based learning on the knowledge, attitudes and skills of medical students. Method A quasi‐experimental study was conducted in a medical school in southern Thailand during 2008–2009. EBM practice was begun before the completion of the fourth year using case scenario and continued through the fifth year using learner‐centred, problem‐based self‐practice. Knowledge improvement was measured by summative assessment using pre‐ and post‐tests after small‐group discussions with a case scenario. Attitudes and skills were measured by self‐rating assessments: before initiation of the course (T0) and after the course at week 1, 5, 13, 25 and 37 (T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5), respectively. Data were analyzed using paired t ‐test and linear mixed‐effects model fitted by maximum likelihood. Results One hundred fourteen students took the course, with a mean age of 22.1 years. Before and after knowledge scores showed a significant improvement (4.93 versus 7.43). The proportion of students who achieved the highest knowledge scores was higher (4% at pre‐test versus 54% at post‐test). Both self‐rated attitudes and skills after EBM practice increased dramatically from the initiation of the course (T0; P < 0.001). Compared with T1, significantly lower scores of attitudes and skills were observed at T2 and T3, but both were higher at T4 assessment. Conclusions Continuous EBM education through small‐group discussion and learner‐centred, problem‐based self‐practice can be a useful way to improve a medical student's knowledge, attitudes and skills.