SOCRU Training Course on Evidence Based Medicine (2017)

Dear Physicians, Nurses, and Students,

The Shantou-Oxford Clinical Research Unit (SOCRU) is hosting the 2^ndtraining course on Evidence Based Medicine. This course is exceptionally designed to introduce evidence-based practice of medicine in Chinese context, with an aim to promote a network of morally and professionally competent evidence-based practitioners in Shantou. As this course will be conducted entirely in English, it is required that participants have a good command of scientific and medical English.  Those who are interested should submit their application (using the form attached) by email to 方未艾audreyfang@stu.edu.cn (and CC to wbathein@stu.edu.cn ).All the applicants are required to take an English language screening test (see below). Successful candidates will be notified by email with the detail course materials.

Brief Introduction about the Course

AIM

To cultivate morally and professionally competent evidence-based practitioners

OBJECTIVES

At the completion of the course, the participants will be able to -

• appreciate the importance of EBM in their practices
• practice evidence-based medicine with selected patients in their workplace
• self-trainto further their evidence-based practicing skills

ELIGIBILITY

Physicians, nurses, and medical students(year 5 and above)with

• good English, proven by IELTS (≥6.0),TOEFL(≥80),or by pre-course screeningof English
• good medical and scientific English (self-assessment), and
• good experience in reading research articles in English (self-assessment).

PREREQUISITE: All applicants are required to take a screening test for English (writing 30-45 min, one-page short essay on a given topic).

COURSESYLLABUS &FORMAT

• Syllabus: See below
• Format: Lectures, small group activities (EBM case studies), reading assignments

OBLIGATIONS

All participants are requiredto take two questionnaire surveys (pre-course and end-of-course) and to complete the course, activities, and assignments.

After taking the course, the participants are obliged to

• become members in the SOCRU-EBM network,
• be trained further to become future EBM instructors, and
• promote EBM in the SUMC-affiliated hospitals.

NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 30

COURSE INSTRUCTOR

William Ba-Thein, Professor/Director, Shantou-Oxford Clinical Research Unit (SOCRU), SUMC

TRAINING DATE/TIME/VENUE: Mar21-Apr 18, Tuesdays and Fridays/ 7:00-9:00 pm x 4.5 weeks/ SUMC

APPLICATION DEADLINE:Mar 10, 2017

COURSE SYLLABUS

1. Introduction 
   1. Evidence Based Medicine (EBM)
   2. Health Research in EBM
2. Evidence Based Practice (EBP)
   1. Asking for the right clinical question
      1. Background Q
      2. Foreground Q (PICO)
   2. Seeking the best current evidence
      1. Resources
         1. Resources for the Background Qs
         2. Resources for the Foreground Qs: 6S
         3. Resources for patient education
      2. Search strategies (for the Foreground Qs)
         1. Search engines/databases
         2. Search terms/filters
      3. Using Point-of-care (POC) search tools
   3. Critically appraising the evidence
      1. Understanding evidence in clinical studies
         1. Diagnostic studies
            1. Clinical prediction rules (CPRs)
            2. Pretest/Posttest Probability
            3. Characteristics of Dx tests: Sn, Sp, LR+/LR-, PPV/NPV, AUC-ROC, YI, DOR
            4. Selection criteria for Dx testing
         2. Therapeutic studies
            1. Evaluating RCTs (validity, clinical significance, clinical relevance): ITT, RD,NNT/NNH, HR
         3. Prognostic studies
            1. Prognosis reported in summary statistics: Case-fatality, 5-yr survival, median survival, HR
            2. Prognosis reported in graphics: Kaplan-Meier Curve, Waterfall plot, Skyline plot
      2. Understanding evidence in population studies (Prevention/Promotion): Estimating risks: AR, RR, OR, PAR
      3. Understanding secondary evidence in Systematic reviews/Meta-analyses (SR/MA):Forest plot, Funnel plot
      4. Evaluating the evidence: Quality of evidence, Levels of evidence, Grades of recommendations
   4. Delivering the evidence into practice
      1. Emerging EBM Concepts: Health Literacy, Risk Communication,Patient Values,Patient Education
      2. Clinical decision making: Informed/Shared/Evidence-informed decision making
      3. Medical professionalism: Professional Responsibilities, Professional Integrity, Medical Ethics
      4. Point-of-care decision making tools: Clinical decision support systems (CDSS)
   5. Evaluating evidence-based practice
      1. Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs)
      2. Audit (Feedback from mentors, peers, patients)
3. EBM case studies (diagnosis, treatment/prognosis, prevention/health promotion) *Practice in small groups
4. Case presentation (by participants in groups)

EBM Course Application Form