Diplomatosis

MSc in Evidence-based Health Care

Authors: Karen Kearley 

Publication date: 14 Jun 2008

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It was a shock to be a student again 20 years after qualifying as a doctor. Had I forgotten what it entailed, or had education fundamentally changed?

There was no rote learning, no examinations, and the teachers were asking not only what I would like to learn but how I would like to learn it. It became apparent that my personal experience was considered fundamental and my contribution to the class essential. In short, I was valued, encouraged, supported, and given access to an endless supply of coffee.

It felt light years away from my life in the NHS or a traditional medical curriculum. I was doing the MSc in Evidence-based Health Care in Oxford and I would strongly recommend it.

Who’s it for?

The MSc is a joint programme between the department of public health and primary care and the department of continuing education at the University of Oxford. It is designed for anyone involved in health care and would be of interest not just to doctors, nurses, and allied health professionals but also to non-practitioners, such as information specialists, managers, journalists, and politicians. In essence it empowers learners to find, critique, and discuss the evidence base for any health issue. There is an international emphasis, allowing participants’ experience of a wide range of healthcare systems to be shared.

Practitioners from all backgrounds will find it useful to learn how to retrieve relevant high quality information efficiently to answer questions that arise in their clinical practice. It would be ideal for someone wishing to be a clinical leader within their own field, and a range of specific modules are planned for the future, including surgery, primary care, clinical knowledge management, health promotion, child health, and dentistry.

Accessible teaching in quantitative and qualitative research methods and statistics demystifies research papers and give participants confidence when discussing and considering evidence. The research dissertation is an opportunity for personal research in a supported environment, which could lead to a publication. It is especially useful for those considering further research.

How much effort does it entail?

The MSc consists of six modules plus a research dissertation. Each module includes one full time week of teaching in Oxford together with preparatory work and an assessed follow-up assignment. The research dissertation contributes to one third of the marks and can be primary research or a systematic review.

At present students do the course part time over two years. From 2009 it will become more flexible, so that students may opt to complete it in one year or up to six years. This will allow doctors within training rotations to take a year away from clinical responsibilities to complete the MSc, and it will also increase the options for those who wish to complete it alongside other commitments.

Course tutors are experts in the field who use the well established and successful format of evidence based medicine workshops which are run by the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine. This involves small group interactive problem based learning. Current tutors include Paul Glasziou, Carl Heneghan, Mike Clarke, Ian Chalmers, and Muir Gray. Small group learning facilitates sharing of knowledge and expertise between participants who have a wide range of interests and experience, which complements the teaching from tutors.

In addition to the social and enjoyable teaching weeks in Oxford, the course requires a substantial time commitment for self directed learning to complete the assignments.

Is there an exam?

No.

Top tips

Start assignments early and use them incrementally to inform your research dissertation.

I found it useful to convince my children that I couldn’t hear them when wearing a pair of headphones, allowing me to ignore them for substantial periods during evenings leading up to my assignment deadlines.

Was it worth it?

Definitely. I have renewed enthusiasm for my clinical practice as a general practitioner now that I can efficiently and confidently access relevant current literature. My experience as a learner in an enlightened educational environment has informed my teaching practice, making me more student centred and able to use a wider range of teaching techniques. It has also opened the door for an active research role as a National Institute for Health Research clinical lecturer within the department of primary care.

Amanda Burls, course director, summarises: “It’s not just about a qualification in Evidence-based Health Care, we want to establish lifelong learning in a community of practice, including people from all over the world, where participants become mentors for future students.”

Further information

http://cpd.conted.ox.ac.uk/ebhc/msc.asp

Competing interest: Karen Kearley has been paid for teaching on the MSc for Evidence-based Health Care and for teaching and research as part of the Centre for Evidence-based Medicine at the University of Oxford.

Karen Kearley general practitioner and clinical lecturer Department of Primary Health Care, University of Oxford, Headington, Oxford OX3 7L

Karen.Kearley@dphpc.ox.ac.uk