Can ‘Evidence Based Practice’ be Taught in a way that is Meaningful to the Student for Practice?

Abstract

Summary Increasingly, it is expected that graduates from a wide range of disciplines will have the necessary skills and knowledge to practice within their chosen field according to evidence based practice (EBP) guidelines. The best methods to facilitate this process have not been fully evaluated. In this paper we describe our journey from problem identification to introduction of a curriculum change to address the academic–clinical divide in EBP skill development. Preliminary results suggest favourable outcomes including improved student confidence in the integration of EBP in practice and clinical educators’ knowledge, and value of EBP on clinical placement.