Teaching evidence-based medicine in medical education: data on barriers and requirements in non-university and...

Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is an essential component of medical practice, combining the best available scientific evidence with clinical expertise to support high-quality patient care. There is limited information on how EBM is integrated into postgraduate medical education programs. This study investigates differences in EBM training between university and non-university hospitals and across specialties in Switzerland and Austria.

Data were collected through annual nationwide surveys evaluating the quality in postgraduate medical education in Switzerland and Austria. A total of 13,659 residents (Switzerland: 9,683; Austria: 3,976) responded to a paper-based questionnaire, resulting in response rates of 71% for Switzerland and 44% for Austria. The questionnaire contains a five-item EBM-scale measuring different aspects of EBM training on a 6-point Likert scale. Residents also answered questions related to scientific publishing. Comparisons were made between university hospitals and other institutions within and between both countries, as well as across specialties within hospital types and countries. Descriptive statistics were reported, and differences were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square test.

In both countries, residents at university hospitals gave overall significantly higher ratings on the EBM-scale than those at non-university hospitals, with more pronounced differences observed in Austria. Moreover, residents in university hospitals reported higher engagement in scientific activities. Specialty comparisons revealed that internal medicine received the highest EBM ratings among university hospitals. In both countries, there were no significant differences between the two specialities anaesthesia and pediatrics across university and non-university hospitals.

Data from residents of two countries indicate potential to improve EBM training in postgraduate medical education in non-university hospitals, and reveal differences across specialities, suggesting the need for further research to identify the factors underlying these differences across hospital types and clinical contexts.