Making evidence-based medicine (EBM) doable in developing countries: A locally-tailored workshop for EBM in a Pakistani institution

Objective: To demonstrate that evidence-based medicine (EBM) training can be imparted in developing countries using minimal resources. Design: Development of a minimal cost workshop with validation of gain in EBM skills using the Berlin questionnaire. Setting: Teaching hospital in Pakistan. Participants: Multidisciplinary faculty from The Shifa College of Medicine and Nursing, Pakistan. Intervention: A 14-hour locally-tailored McMaster-style workshop, using a problem-based, learner-focused small group format, with pre- and post-workshop evaluation of EBM skills. Results: Analysis of the pre- and post-Berlin questionnaires of the participants revealed that the pre-workshop Berlin questionnaire score for the group was 4.7±2.3, with a post-workshop Berlin score of 7.6±1.0 (p<0.001). Conclusion: EBM workshops can be locally-tailored in developing countries, where access to such workshops is generally not available. Workshops can serve to promote EBM skills in faculty, who can then help to disseminate and model concepts. The process increases awareness and interest in EBM, which in this case resulted in formation of a national platform for EBM.