Evidence-based medicine culture, curriculum, and program outcomes: A CERA study

Authors

Kate Rowland, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, Chicago, IL.
John W. Epling, Department of Family and Community Medicine, Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, Roanoke, VA.
Rick Guthmann, Advocate Health - MidwestFollow
Joel J. Heidelbaugh, Department of Family Medicine, Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI.
Martha Johnson, Franklin Square Family Medicine Residency Program, MedStar Health, Baltimore, MD.
Georgia Luckey, Department of Family and Community Medicine, School of Medicine, Southern Illinois University, Springfield, IL.
Robert Martin, Advocate Health - MidwestFollow

Recommended Citation

Rowland K, Epling JW, Guthmann R, et al. Evidence-Based Medicine Culture, Curriculum, and Program Outcomes: A CERA Study. Fam Med. Published online August 23, 2024. doi:10.22454/FamMed.2024.895739

Affiliations

Advocate Illinois Masonic, Chicago, IL

Abstract

Background:Limited faculty development is a barrier to advancing evidence-based medicine (EBM) education. This study sought to describe program director perception of EBM culture in family medicine residency training and to assess the association among structured faculty roles, EBM curricula, and specific resident outcomes including publications in EBM.

Methods:Members of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine EBM collaborative drafted survey questions based on a literature review. The questions were electronically distributed in May 2023 to all US family medicine residency program directors who had not previously opted out by the Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance within its study of family medicine program directors. We analyzed results using descriptive and comparative statistics.

Results:The overall response rate was 44.7% (309/691). We found that 260/281 (92%) of program directors reported an EBM curriculum of some kind, and 253/281 (90%) of program directors agreed/strongly agreed that EBM was accepted by residents. Of the respondents, 72/281 (25.6%) reported that no specific faculty member was responsible for their EBM curriculum. Most program directors reported that less than 50% of residents will leave their programs with the ability to detect an error in original research (23.8%; 67/281), detect an important omission in an UpToDate article (16%; 45/281), or author a narrative review for American Family Physician (10%; 28/281).

Conclusions:Program directors reported strong acceptance of EBM among residents and a high prevalence of a formal curriculum. However, many lacked a specific faculty lead, and few reported that residents had strong EBM skills. This study identified gaps in residency training to support future EBM-skilled family physicians as well as concerns about pathways for the development of future EBM faculty.

Type

Article

PubMed ID

39207792