Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 29, 2026

Setting Up a Stroke Team Algorithm and Conducting Simulation-based Training in the Emergency Department - A Practical Guide
Published on: January 15, 2017
Using standardized patients to evaluate medical students' evidence-based medicine skills
Richard Amini1, Nicholas C Hernandez1, Samuel M Keim1
1Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
Objectives:
To analyze the effectiveness of an Evidence Based Medicine Objective Structured Clinical Examination (EBM OSCE) with standardized patients for end of third year medical students at our institution.
Methods:
This was a single-center prospective cross-sectional investigation. As part of the eight-station OSCE exam, the authors developed and implemented a new 25-minute EBM OSCE station with the goal of evaluating evidence based medicine skills necessary for daily clinical encounters. The OSCE case involved a highly educated patient with a history of recurrent debilitating migraines who has brought eight specific questions regarding the use of steroids for migraine headaches. Students were provided computer stations equipped to record a log of the searches performed.
Results:
One hundred and four third-year medical students participated in this study. The average number of search tools used by the students was 4 (SD = 2). The 104 students performed a total of 896 searches. The two most commonly used websites were uptodate.com and google.com. Sixty-nine percent (95% CI, 60% to 78%) of students were able to find a meta-analysis regarding the use of dexamethasone for the prevention of rebound migraines. Fifty-two percent of students were able to explain that patients who took dexamethasone had a moderate RR (0.68 to 0.78) of having a recurrent migraine, and 71% of students were able to explain to the standardized patient that the NNT for dexamethasone was nine.
Conclusion:
The EBM OSCE was successfully integrated into the existing eight-station OSCE and was able to assess student EBM skills.
Related Concept Videos
Patient-centered Care
Critical Thinking I
SBAR II: Application of SBAR
SBAR Report from a Nurse to a Health Care Provider
S: "Hello, Dr. Smith. This is Jane, RN, from the Med Surg unit. I am calling to tell you about Ms. White in Room 210, who is experiencing increased pain and redness at her incision site. Her recent...
Methods of Documentation III: PIE
Bioavailability Study Design: Healthy Subjects Versus Patients
Methods of Documentation V: CBE
In CBE, healthcare professionals establish predefined standards of practice that define what constitutes...

