Teaching evidence-based medicine in otolaryngology.

Overview

Learning to apply the ever-expanding volume of clinical literature to patient care is critical for the next generation of physicians. This evidence-based medicine (EBM) offers much to improve patient care and outcomes, but should enhance rather than restrict the practice of medicine. Although the barriers to the adoption and teaching of EBM lie on many fronts, including institutional and staff limitations, many examples of structured didactics--from journal club to professor rounds--have been reported with good success. Published reviews and online evidence-based guidelines offer excellent synthesis of complex topics as a catalyst for understanding the clinical literature. Beyond academics, this article, in its discussion of what EBM is and how to practice it, presents information of value to practicing clinicians.