Crowdsourcing trainees in a living systematic review provided valuable experiential learning opportunities: a...

Area of Science:

• Rheumatoid Arthritis Research
• Medical Education
• Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

• Living systematic reviews (LSRs) are dynamic, continuously updated reviews.
• Trainee involvement in LSRs is a novel approach to medical education.
• Understanding trainee perspectives is crucial for optimizing educational strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore trainee experiences in a rheumatoid arthritis LSR.
• To assess the benefits of LSR participation for evidence-based medicine (EBM) education.
• To identify challenges and facilitators in trainee engagement with LSRs.

Main Methods:

• Mixed-methods study involving 21 trainees from two countries.
• Trainees performed specific tasks: eligibility screening, data extraction, quality assessment.
• Data collected via surveys and one-on-one interviews, followed by thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• Most trainees (21) reported positive experiences, even with limited prior systematic review knowledge.
• Key benefits included task segmentation, supportive environments, international collaboration, and skill development.
• Reported improvements in competencies as Scholar, Collaborator, Leader, and Medical Expert.
• Challenges involved communication, technical issues, and task-skill matching.

Conclusions:

• LSR participation offers significant experiential EBM training benefits for diverse trainees.
• This involvement enhances trainee competencies and contributes to LSR sustainability.
• LSRs can serve as effective platforms for practical EBM skill acquisition.