Clinical evidence continuous medical education: a randomised educational trial of an open access e-learning program for transferring evidence-based information – ICEKUBE (Italian Clinical Evidence Knowledge Utilization Behaviour Evaluation) – study protocol
2008

E-learning Program for Doctors' Education

Sample size: 162 publication Evidence: moderate

Author Information

Author(s): Lorenzo Moja, Ivan Moschetti, Michela Cinquini, Valeria Sala, Anna Compagnoni, Piergiorgio Duca, Christian Deligant, Roberto Manfrini, Luca Clivio, Roberto Satolli, Antonio Addis, Jeremy M Grimshaw, Pietro Dri, Alessandro Liberati

Primary Institution: Italian Cochrane Centre, Mario Negri Institute for Pharmacological Research, Milano, Italy

Hypothesis

Does an e-learning CME program based on Clinical Evidence and clinical vignettes (ECCE) increase physicians' basic knowledge about epidemiology, therapy, prognosis, and risk factors in a clinical scenario?

Conclusion

The study aims to determine if the ECCE e-learning program improves physicians' knowledge and retention of evidence-based information.

Supporting Evidence

  • The e-learning program ECCE is designed to improve doctors' knowledge about clinical scenarios.
  • The study will assess knowledge retention six months after the intervention.
  • The trial includes a control group using a printed version of Clinical Evidence.

Takeaway

This study is testing a new online learning program to help doctors learn better about medical evidence, and see if it works better than just reading a book.

Methodology

A randomized controlled trial with three groups: two groups using the e-learning program and one group using a printed version of Clinical Evidence.

Potential Biases

Potential bias from participants' prior experiences with CME and the influence of concurrent educational activities.

Limitations

The study may be influenced by the Hawthorne effect, where participants change their behavior because they know they are being studied.

Participant Demographics

Italian doctors naïve to the ECCE program.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1186/1748-5908-3-37

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