Background: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is an essential tool for students across the medical education continuum. Incorporation of EBM skills into core competencies by national educational organizations denotes their vital role.
Aim: The main purpose is to describe the transformation of an EBM curriculum in an Internal Medicine clerkship and the educational principles that influenced changes over ten years.
Methods: The EBM curriculum over ten years was reviewed. This retrospective review was divided into four phases, based on the educational interventions used. Associated outcomes of the curriculum, student skills, and satisfaction with the course and faculty involvement were assessed.
Results: A majority of the 493 students felt they received adequate and appropriate exposure to EBM. The curriculum evolved from a teacher-centered approach using computer-based case scenarios to a learner-centered, and patient centric approach. Student skills in EBM improved, as was evidenced by the pre- and post-tests and the evaluations of critically appraised topic assignments.
Conclusions: EBM is an essential tool to develop life-long learners. A learner-centered, patient centric approach is well received by students. Long-term studies are needed to assess the impact of these teaching interventions on patient outcomes.