title: Medical students' attitudes on and experiences with evidence-based medicine: a qualitative study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This qualitative study was designed to determine the attitudes towards and experiences of medical students on evidence-based medicine (EBM).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted using the phenomenological method. Medical students' attitudes about and experiences with evidence-based medicine were determined through semi-structured interviews. Forty senior medical students were chosen by purposive sampling from medical sciences students of Tabriz University and Shahid Beheshti University. The context of interviews was analysed using the content analysis method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Medical students' attitudes and experiences were ascertained through four main questions, and their answers were divided in to 12 categories and 31 subcategories. According to the subjects of the study, two basic concepts that they understood about EBM were its being up to date and requiring research skills. To the question what is necessary for EBM, the students' answers were summarized as follows: access to information, teamwork and faculty members who could provide modeling and organizational support. Students reported having used EBM for problem solving, thinking and self-confidence. On the other hand, lack of equipment and facilities, human factors and organizational factors were considered the main barriers to EBM use.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  According to the results of this study, providing suitable conditions and appropriate planning to address identified barriers and encouraging students can promote EBM practice. Also, more extensive EBM integration in medical curricula and clinical settings by leading faculty members would prompt medical students to use EBM in their daily practice.
authors.affiliation: Liver and Gastrointestinal Disease Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
authors.forename: Morteza
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghojazadeh
authors.forename: Sakineh
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hajebrahimi
authors.forename: Saber
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Azami-Aghdash
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pournaghi Azar
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Keshavarz
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Naghavi-Behzad
authors.forename: Hakimeh
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hazrati
mesh_terms: D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D011340:Problem Solving; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012649:Self Concept; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: attitudes; evidence-based medicine; experiences; medical students; qualitative study