Two strategies to intensify evidence-based medicine education of undergraduate students: a randomised controlled trial

<p><b>INTRODUCTION</b>Undergraduate evidence-based practice (EBP) is usually taught through standalone courses and workshops away from clinical practice. This study compared the effects of 2 clinically integrated educational strategies on final year medical students.</p><p><b>MATERIALS AND METHODS</b>Final year medical students rotating to the general medicine service for a 2-week internship were randomly assigned to participate in a weekly EBP-structured case conference focusing on students' primary care patients (Group A, n = 47), or to receive a weekly didactic lecture about EBP (Group B, n = 47). The teaching effects of these 2 interventions were evaluated by a validated instrument for assessment of EBP related knowledge (EBP-K), attitude (EBP-A), personal application (EBP-P), and anticipated future use (EBP-F) on the first and last days of rotation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>All scores improved significantly after the 2-week EBM-teaching for both groups. When compared to Group B, students in Group A had significantly higher post-intervention scores of EBP-K (21.2 ± 3.5 vs 19.0 ± 4.6; ie. 57.8 ± 72.9% vs 29.1 ± 39.1%; P <0.01) and EBP-P (18.7 ± 4.3 vs 15.3 ± 3.9; ie. 28.5 ± 25.5 % vs 14.1 ± 18.7 %; P <0.001). In contrast, the scores of EBP-A and EBP-F were similar between the 2 groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Structured case conference, when compared to the didactic lectures, significantly improved EBP-K and EBP-P for final year medical students.</p>

Nosocomial acinetobacter genomic species 13 TU endocarditis following an endoscopic procedure.

We report a rare case of prosthetic valve endocarditis caused by Acinetobacter genomic species 13 TU. This patient had rheumatic heart disease and received prosthetic mitral valve replacement eleven years previously. He was admitted due to tarry stool. Endoscopic procedure showed two gastric ulcers and some mucous breaks at the distal esophagus. He had a fever on the eleventh hospital day. Persistent Acinetobacter bacteremia was noted with conjunctiva hemorrhage. The pathogen was identified as Acinetobacter genomic species 13 TU by PCR-based method. According to his whole course of disease, the most possible portal of entry was via the endoscopic procedure.