Harmonising Evidence-based medicine teaching: a study of the outcomes of e-learning in five European countries
2008

E-learning for Evidence-Based Medicine Training in Europe

Sample size: 101 publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Regina Kulier, Julie Hadley, Susanne Weinbrenner, Berrit Meyerrose, Tamas Decsi, Andrea R Horvath, Eva Nagy, Jose I Emparanza, Sjors FPJ Coppus, Theodoros N Arvanitis, Amanda Burls, Juan B Cabello, Marcin Kaczor, Gianni Zanrei, Karen Pierer, Katarzyna Stawiarz, Regina Kunz, Ben WJ Mol, Khalid S Khan

Primary Institution: The University of Birmingham

Hypothesis

Can an e-learning course for evidence-based medicine (EBM) training be effectively implemented across different European countries?

Conclusion

E-learning in EBM can be harmonised for effective teaching and learning in different languages, educational settings and clinical specialties.

Supporting Evidence

  • Knowledge scores significantly improved from pre- to post-course for all five modules.
  • Participants felt more confident in assessing research evidence after the course.
  • The course was delivered in multiple languages to accommodate different countries.

Takeaway

This study shows that online learning can help doctors in different countries learn about evidence-based medicine better.

Methodology

The study used a before-and-after design to measure changes in knowledge and attitudes among participants using validated assessment tools.

Potential Biases

Assessors were not blinded to pre-course scores, which could introduce bias.

Limitations

The study lacked a control group and was conducted in a controlled environment, which may not reflect real-world settings.

Participant Demographics

Participants included 101 postgraduate medical trainees from various specialties across Germany, Hungary, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK.

Statistical Information

P-Value

< 0.001

Statistical Significance

p < 0.001

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1472-6920-8-27

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