Evidence-based medicine in medical school: how to learn about evidence in an intensive care unit?

ID: 

121

Session: 

Poster session 1

Date: 

Sunday 16 September 2018 - 12:30 to 14:00

All authors in correct order:

Barros EM1, Dittrich N1, Leonel LDF1, Pereira de Lima LR1, Pachito DV2, Andrade LAF1, Rocha LPDS1, Silva LDGM1, Freitas A1, Mateussi MV1, Farias TKR1, Quintella ML1, Migueis GI1, Pacheco RL1, Logullo P2, Atallah AN2, Gois AFT1, Riera R1
1 Universidade Federal of São Paulo (UNIFESP)/Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Brazil
2 Cochrane Brazil, Brazil
Presenting author and contact person

Presenting author:

Edivando De Moura Barros

Contact person:

Abstract text
Background:
To learn about evidence-based medicine (EBM) during shifts in a medical school is often challenging. Medical students from Brazil have been collaborating in a learning community named the ‘Evidence-based Medicine Academic League’ (EBML). Since 2013, students have been coordinating activities to stimulate the search for and critical appraisal of the best evidence through a partnership with Cochrane Brazil. One of these activities is an internship in an intensive care unit (ICU).

Objectives:
To describe the methodology of evidence-based medicine practice focused on clinical questions raised during supervised rounds in an ICU at a medical school.

Methods:
Members of the EBML take turns on day and night shifts in the ICU at our University hospital. The shifts are covered during weekends by two students enrolled in different years of medical graduation. In this way, students doing the Basic/Introductory Modules have the opportunity to consolidate concepts of physiopathology, while students of the Clinical Modules are challenged to acquire and train skills in medical practice. Students are supervised by both their own preceptor and the multi-professional team of the ICU, which teaches performance of a variety of medical procedures, such as arterial puncture and orotracheal intubation. At the end of a one-year period, each student is expected to have attended five 24-hour shifts. In order to answer clinical questions related to the diagnosis and treatment of medical conditions observed during shifts, all students are encouraged to search for Cochrane systematic reviews and other relevant studies. The studies are discussed and analyzed critically by all members and preceptors in weekly meetings conducted by the EBML.

Results:
Each member of EBML attended 60 hours of supervised practical activities during a one-year period. Clinical questions raised during shifts were structured into a PICO (participant, intervention, comparator, outcomes) question format and answered through the results of studies with the most appropriate design, with the participation of all EBML members.

Conclusions:
The EBML ICU activities are a valid initiative for integrating clinical practice and EBM learning.

Patient or healthcare consumers involvement:
A method of active learning for EBM among medical students is a valid way to train future physicians about how to choose the best available evidence for clinical decision making.

Relevance to patients and consumers: 

In partnership with Cochrane Brazil since 2013, medical students from the Federal University of São Paulo have collaborated in a learning community called the Evidence-Based Medicine Academy League (EBML), which has many activities, including an internship in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Emergency , which in addition to integrating students from different years, aims to update the basic knowledge and clinical practice of the students, encouraging students to seek out and discuss the best evidence in systemic reviews to offer the best therapeutic plans currently available for patients.