An evaluation of a collaborative model for preparing evidence-based medicine teachers.
OBJECTIVE
The authors studied the effectiveness of a train-the-trainer collaboration model between librarians and medical faculty to instruct librarians and health professionals in teaching evidence-based medicine (EBM) principles.


METHODS
A telephone survey was administered to graduates of an EBM course who agreed to participate in the study. They were asked if and how they taught EBM on returning to their institutions, if they felt competent to critically appraise an article, if their skill in searching PubMed improved, and if they collaborated with others in teaching EBM.


RESULTS
Most respondents were librarians. The class was successful in that most taught EBM on return to their home institutions. Most initiated collaboration with health professionals. The goals of improving PubMed searching and achieving statistical competency had less success.


CONCLUSIONS
This model is effective in preparing librarians to teach EBM. Modeling and encouraging collaboration between librarians and health professionals were successful techniques. Librarians would like more instruction in statistical concepts and less in searching PubMed. conclusions cannot be made for health professionals because of the low response rate from this group. As evidence-based health care continues to extend to other disciplines, librarians can position themselves to participate fully in the EBM educational process.
Scherrer
Carol S
CS
University of Illinois at Chicago, Library of the Health Sciences, 1750 West Polk m/c 763, Chicago, Illinois 60612, USA. cscherre@uic.edu
Dorsch
Josephine L
JL
Weller
Ann C
AC
D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003406:Credentialing; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000379:methods; D004522:Educational Status; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005180:Faculty, Medical / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval; D007998:Library Science / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D017145:Models, Educational