A Swiss survey on teaching evidence-based medicine

Abstract

Questions under study: To explore the degree to which evidence-based medicine (EBM) is taught in postgraduate training in different clinical fields. Methods: A questionnaire was mailed to all residents in Swiss hospitals in postgraduate medical training programs to obtain specialist titles. Response rate was 65%. In an Internet survey, directors of the medical training programs answered questions on teaching EBM. Response rate was 75%. Results: Four items used to measure the teaching of EBM formed a reliable scale. Teaching EBM is more important in internal medicine than in the other clinical fields examined. The lowest values were obtained for general surgery. Higher values were observed in the teacher sample compared with the resident sample. Conclusions: In most clinical fields, EBM seems not to be an important part of the curriculum. Residents evaluate the training differently from teachers. Feedback mechanisms are essential so that teachers can know how their training programs are evaluated.