Increasing general practitioner use of evidence-based medicine in teaching and clinical practice through evidence-based journal clubs
Miriam Brooks
A C , Jennifer Reath A , Louise McDonnell B and Penelope Abbott A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of General Practice, School of Medicine, University of Western Sydney, Locked Bag 1797, Penrith, NSW 2751, Australia.
B Hazelbrook General Practice, 9 Rosedale Avenue, Hazelbrook, NSW 2779, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: miriam.brooks@westernsydney.edu.au
Australian Journal of Primary Health 27(4) 271-275 https://doi.org/10.1071/PY20267
Submitted: 10 November 2020 Accepted: 16 April 2021 Published: 8 July 2021
Abstract
Learning evidence-based medicine (EBM) skills is now integral to university medical education. GPs who trained before the introduction of EBM in the late 1990s have identified a lack of training in this area. Evidence-based journal clubs (EBJCs) aim to promote the application of research evidence to clinical decision making. GPs meet regularly to develop EBM skills and apply these to questions arising in their clinical practice. Over 4 years, 47 GP clinical supervisors of medical students participated in a series of EBJCs offered by a university medical school. This article presents a qualitative exploration of their views and experiences. GPs noted that participating in EBJCs improved their use of EBM in clinical practice by making them more independent learners, facilitating consistent management approaches in group practices and aligning their skills in EBM with those of current students. Barriers such as time constraints and limited access to EBM resources were also noted, and GPs discussed strategies for managing these. Opportunities for GPs who act as clinical supervisors to increase their skills in EBM are important, particularly for those GPs transitioning from a traditional medical education model to an EBM model, as they role model highest-quality patient care to students, including the need for ongoing learning.
Keywords: evidence-based practice, primary health care, quality of health care.
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