Table 1.
Overview of the EBM course content
| Session | Key EBM content covered |
|---|---|
| 1. Introduction to EBM |
• Rationale for EBM in medicine |
| • How to construct a clinical question | |
| 2. Searching the medical literature |
• Overview of relevant medical and healthcare databases |
| • How to construct a search strategy | |
| 3. Biostatistics |
• Overview of biostatistical concepts including; |
| ▪ Categorical versus numerical data | |
| ▪ Use of appropriate statistical analysis | |
| 4. Critical appraisal of studies of therapy (part 1) |
• Introduction to RCTs |
| • Measures of effect (relative risk, number needed to treat, absolute risk) | |
| • P-values and confidence intervals | |
| • Critical appraisal techniques for studies of therapy | |
| 5. Critical appraisal of studies of therapy (part 2) |
• Continuation of session 4. |
| 6. Critical appraisal of studies of harm (part 1) |
• Introduction to cohort studies |
| • Measures of effect (Odds ratios and number needed to harm) | |
| • Critical appraisal techniques for studies of harm (specific to cohort studies) | |
| 7. Critical appraisal of studies of harm (part 2) |
• Introduction to case–control studies |
| • Measures of effect (Odds ratios and number needed to harm) | |
| • Critical appraisal techniques for studies of harm (specific to case–control studies) | |
| 8. Critical appraisal of studies of diagnosis |
• Overview of concepts specific to diagnosis including; |
| ▪ Sensitivity and specificity | |
| ▪ Positive and negative predictive values | |
| ▪ Positive and negative likelihood ratios | |
| • Critical appraisal techniques for studies of diagnosis | |
| 9. Critical appraisal of studies of prognosis |
• Overview of concepts specific to prognosis including; |
| ▪ Longitudinal study designs (including time series) | |
| ▪ Use of survival curves and hazard ratios | |
| • Critical appraisal techniques for studies of prognosis | |
| 10. Critical appraisal of systematic reviews | • Introduction to how systematic reviews are constructed |
| • Overview of how to interpret meta-analysis including; | |
| ▪ Forest plots | |
| ▪ Sensitivity analysis | |
| ▪ Significance of heterogeneity | |
| • Critical appraisal techniques for systematic reviews |