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This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. BackgroundHealth Science Research (HSR) is a pre-clerkship component of the University of Toronto (U of T) MD Program. Through online modules and tutorials, students learn to understand and apply research, and write an original research protocol. This study explored students' perceptions on how HSR prepared them to identify, critically appraise and consume research during clerkship.MethodsAn online 12-item questionnaire surveyed U of T medical students (Class of 2018) who completed HSR in 2016. Basic descriptive statistics were performed; free text responses were analysed via descriptive thematic analysis.ResultsTwenty six percent (67/262) of students participated. Approximately half either agreed/strongly agreed that HSR helped them to critically appraise research articles (50.7%, 32/63) and assess applicability of results to patient care (50.8%, 32/63). Three themes emerged: i) desire for increased critical appraisal, ii) producing research less important than consuming research, iii) developing a greater appreciation of research during clerkship.ConclusionsStudents' perceptions on HSR's value during clerkship were modest; they desired greater focus on learning to be consumers of research. These results will refine HS, and our observations may be useful to other educators, as this type of intervention is not represented in existing literature.

Preliminary research suggests that multiple family therapy (MFT) may be an effective intervention for adolescent anorexia nervosa (AN). This study compared the extent of weight restoration for patients enrolled in one year of MFT compared to a matched control group receiving treatment as usual (TAU).A retrospective chart review was performed using data from 25 MFT cases matched to 25 controls on age, diagnosis and year of entry to the eating disorder program.Both cases and controls experienced significant weight restoration, however patients enrolled in MFT were restored to a higher mean percent ideal body weight than the TAU group (99.6% (±7.27%) vs. 95.4 (±6.88); p0.05).MFT may be more effective than TAU in restoring weight in adolescents with AN.La recherche préliminaire suggère que la thérapie multifamiliale (TMF) peut être une intervention efficace pour les adolescents souffrant d’anorexie mentale (AM). Cette étude a comparé l’étendue de la reprise de poids pour les patients inscrits à une TMF d’un an comparativement à un groupe témoin apparié recevant le traitement usuel (TU).Un examen rétrospectif des dossiers a été mené à l’aide des données de 25 cas de TMF appariés à 25 témoins selon l’âge, le diagnostic et l’année d’entrée dans le programme des troubles alimentaires.Les cas et les témoins ont eu des reprises de poids significatives, mais les patients inscrits à la TMF ont repris un pourcentage moyen plus élevé de leur poids corporel idéal que le groupe du TU (99,6% [±7,27 %] c. 95,4% [±6,88]; p0,05).La TMF peut être plus efficace que le TU pour la reprise de poids des adolescents souffrant d’AM.

Background: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) allows physicians to integrate evidence, clinical experience, and patient values into clinical decision making and thus has been readily incorporated into medical education; however, there is limited research capturing the perceptions of both student and educator in their experiences in engaging with an EBM-based research curriculum. Assessing the perceptions of both these key stakeholders represents an important area of research as it can help to inform EBM curriculum integration and evaluation efforts. Methods: This qualitative study utilizes a constructivist framework to assess the thoughts, beliefs, and feelings of students and tutors interacting with a 2-year EBM-based research curriculum. Students completed semi-structured interviews and tutors completed online surveys to explore their perceptions and experiences. Interview transcripts and survey responses were analysed using conventional descriptive content analysis to create a set of recommendations for EBM curriculum development. Results: 13 students and 20 tutors participated, and four major themes were identified. Students noted EBM education was most effective when opportunities existed to apply research skills, complete practical research experience, engage actively in learning, and integrate clinical and research concepts. Tutors found the curriculum to be effective but noted it was challenging to accommodate for the diversity of student knowledge and interest in research. Conclusion: This study provides a general set of recommendations for the design, implementation, and refinement of EBM-based research curricula to facilitate student learning through focusing on 1) research consumption, 2) emphasizing application, 3) emphasizing interactivity, 4) curriculum integration, and 5) catering towards student heterogeneity.