Date of Completion

2024

Document Type

Community Medicine

Degree Name

Doctor of Medicine

Keywords

evidence-based medicine (EBM), clinical practices

Abstract

This study addresses the current status of evidence-based medicine (EBM) integration within the clinical practices of year level 4 medical students at De La Salle Medical and Health Sciences Institute (DLSMHSI) during the academic year 2023-2024. It identifies the imperative need for effective EBM integration against the backdrop of pressing healthcare concerns in the Philippines. Its primary objectives are to assess the perceived knowledge, attitudes, and barriers of DLSMHSI year level 4 medical students towards EBM application using descriptive statistics. It also sought to rank the most common barriers to EBM implementation and evaluate gender-based differences in EBM perceptions among these students. A self-administered questionnaire, carefully structured to elicit both quantitative and qualitative responses were employed as the research instrument. This aims to investigate the use of EBM in the context of medical education at DLSMHSI, with a particular focus on year level 4 clinical clerks as the key data source. In selecting this designated group of participants, careful consideration is given to proximity, accessibility, and reliability. To fortify the study’s scholarly foundation and utilize a methodologically sound approach, the researchers included a variety of response formats such as Likert scales, multiple-choice evaluation, and ranking queries. This being said, the study aims to identify and analyze several factors impacting the adoption of EBM among the given cohort. By providing nuanced insight into the challenges and identifying potential avenues for progress, this considerably contributes to the ongoing debate about the cultivation of EBM in the area of medical education. Results indicate that year level 4 students have generally adequate EBM knowledge, with males showing higher perceived knowledge, and view EBM as beneficial for patient care and essential for decision making. The top barrier to EBM application was insufficient time, followed by lack of understanding of statistical analysis and lack of interest, with common third-ranked barriers including lack of understanding of statistical analysis, lack of training in critical appraisal of literature, lack of interest, and inadequate skills to critically appraise the literature. While males showed greater perceived knowledge, there were no significant gender differences in attitudes and barriers. The study was also limited by respondents’ gender disparity, the timing of the mid-school year, and its single-institution focus, all of which could have an impact on respondent’s perceived knowledge and attitudes towards EBM. To improve EBM training and implementation, future research should employ stratified sampling, consider the impact of rotation schedules, include diverse institutions, explore less common barriers, and evaluate curriculum improvements to enhance EBM training and application.

First Advisor

Dr. Emmanuel Perez, M.D., FPCP, FPRA

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