Teaching evidence-based medicine using a problem-oriented approach

Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University is adopting an innovative curriculum. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) has been integrated into problem based learning (PBL) sessions as a responsive innovative paradigm for the practice and teaching of clinical medicine.

To integrate EBM in the problem based sessions of the sixth-year students, and to assess students' and tutor satisfaction with this change.

EBM training was conducted for sixth-year students (196) including four theoretical, and eight practical sessions. Sixteen EBM educational scenarios (problems) were formulated, according to sixth-year curriculum. Each problem was discussed in two sessions through steps of EBM, namely: formulating PICO questions, searching for and appraising evidence, applying the evidence to the clinical scenario and analysing the practice. Students and tutors satisfaction were evaluated using a 3-point ratings questionnaire.

The majority of students and faculty expressed their satisfaction about integrating EBM with PBL and agreed that the problems were more stimulating. However, 33.6% of students indicated that available time was insufficient for searching literatures.

Integrating EBM into PBL sessions tends to be more interesting and stimulating than traditional PBL sessions for final year students and helps them to practice and implement EBM in clinical context.