Finding the Evidence

Consider the six steps of Evidence-Based Medicine:

  • Ask a focused answerable clinical question

  • Reflect on what you already know about this question

  • Search for the best evidence to answer the question

  • Critically appraise the evidence

  • Find the best way to apply the evidence to your patient

  • Reflect on how you did on the above skills and what more you need to learn/practice

Asking a Question

Questions and Outcomes

Try it out:

  • Think of your last patient care session, and the issues that arose.

  • Write a background question for one of your information needs.

  • Write a foreground question for a different information need.

Reflect on what you already know:

  • Reminds you that you do, in fact, know stuff

  • Activates your brain so that you're ready to build new knowledge (cognitive learning theory)

  • Helps you identify more refined

Select the appropriate information source:

  • Consider your knowledge (more foreground or background)

  • Consider the question type (therapy, diagnosis, harm, prognosis)

  • Consider your constraints (just before precepting in a busy clinic, or preparing a scholarly activity)

Searching MEDLINE:

  • Don't. Unless you need to.

  • Bookmark your local resources

    • high quality background information sources

    • easy-to-access resources for foreground questions