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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2021 Oct;26(5):254.
doi: 10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111372. Epub 2020 Jul 27.

Online supplementation for teaching evidence-based medicine: feasibility of a randomised-controlled trial

Marcy C McCall  1 , Thomas R Fanshawe  2 , David McCartney  3 , Damion Young  3 , David Nunan  2 , Carl Heneghan  2
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Online supplementation for teaching evidence-based medicine: feasibility of a randomised-controlled trial

Marcy C McCall et al. BMJ Evid Based Med. 2021 Oct.

Abstract

Background and objectives: As teaching technology advances, medical education is increasingly using digital mediums and exploring instructional models such as the flipped classroom and blended learning courses, where the in-class taught sessions are more groups on content delivered before class. Early evidence suggests lectures and foundational material can be equally provided online, but we have low-quality research to be convinced. We aim to test and develop an online evidence-based teaching resource that seeks to improve the availability and scalability of evidence-based medicine (EBM) learning tools. We evaluate the feasibility of a study design that could test for changes in academic performance in EBM skills using an online supplement.

Methods: Mixed-methods feasibility study of a randomised controlled trial (RCT) in an undergraduate medical student cohort.

Results: Of a small cohort (n=34), eight participants agreed to randomisation and completed the study. No study participant completed the EBM supplementary course in full. Students report time-management as a significant barrier in participation, and all aspects of the study and communications should be delivered with efficiency a key consideration.

Conclusion: Randomising students to an online EBM supplement within a medical school programme presents challenges of recruitment and student motivation, but the study design is potentially feasible.

Keywords: evidence-based practice; medical education & training.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: The online course intervention design and its implementation were a joint initiative of MCMcC and CH. DMcC and DY work within the medical sciences division to administer teaching in the medical school programme. DN and MCMcC have presented this course as part of a sample curriculum in teaching evidence-based medicine. CH, TRF and DN are paid faculty who teach on the evidence-based health care (EBHC) programme, Oxford University. MCMcC is also part-time lecturer on the EBHC programme.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Study flow.
Figure 2
Figure 2
EBM Primer daily unique page views by participant. Colours indicate different participants, with solid lines being those in the intervention group and dotted lines those in the control group. Between 1 April and 30 April 2019, the EBM Primer was only available to intervention group participants. EBM, evidence-based medicine.
Figure 3
Figure 3
ACE and examination marks by group. Horizontal lines show means per group.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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