Evidence-based veterinary medicine: what it is, what it isn't and how to do it

EBM represents a more formal process for considering the merits of published research in the context of clinical decision making. By combining the application of formal rules of evidence in evaluating the clinical literature (critical appraisal) with the ability to conduct efficient and effective literature searches, any clinician is able to keep current on topics of interest. Learning the core skills that enable the practice of EBM is easier than expected. The EBM Working Group published a series of Users' Guides to enable clinicians to learn critical appraisal of the primary literature in a systematic fashion. The complete series of Users' Guides is available free of charge over the web (www. CCHE.net). Similarly, PubMed, which contains a number of easy to use search filters (Clinical Queries) that can identify high-quality papers published in key veterinary journals, is also available free of charge over the web (www.PubMed.org). How ever one obtains the core skills, an efficient, structured approach to the practice of EBM can actually reduce the amount of time one requires to keep current by helping the user locate and identify methodologically rigorous research. Although the entire process can be self-taught, as with any new technique, other effective ways to bring these new skills into your practice setting include attending a conference workshop or even hiring a new graduate who has already been trained in the process.