Jan Gwyer
Teaching Evidence-Based Practice
revolution surely occurred physical therapist education past decade complete easily recognizable acronym evidencebased medicine ebm quickly adapted nonphysician practitioners evidencebased practice ebp revolution touched students academic faculty clinicians throughout profession many revolutions seeds discontent scattered many years earlier decades revolution acronym leaders encouraged us better michels 1969 apta presidential address challenged educational community desired independent accreditation educational programs accept responsibility intellectual honesty1 commenting ability physical therapists read understand clinical research time argued general level knowledge method logic experimental design statistical analysis data indicates started including disciplines basic curriculum ten years ago1p1197 rothstein pointed michels believed evidencebased practice long term widely used2p7 spirited debate meaning ebp profession24 within faculty changes required educate evidencebased practitioners physical therapist educators understand magnitude challenge nothing less changing way physical therapy practiced education students education clinical faculty practitioners knowledge values evidencebased practice goal requires creative effective instructional assessment strategies implemented professional curricula didactic clinical continuing education issue journal physical therapy education contains reports curricular content changes instructional processes used faculty change curricula ones reflect principles evidencebased practice first slavin provides overview necessary competencies evidencebased practice including tool learner selfassessment performance processes ebp slavin continues offering suggestions educational program structure clinical instructor training learner attitudes facilitate teaching ebp fell burnham draw expertise medicine physical therapy medical library science focus curricular content teaching strategies develop crucial skills accessing evidence practice lobach first paper published discipline clinical informatics physical therapy journal provides introduction component biomedical informatics proposed set competencies physical therapist students areas computer literacy information retrieval management clinical decision support systems evidence practice comes different formats requiring different assessment skills henderson rheault address absence sound methodology assessing including evidence qualitative research ebp theory offer reader appraisal instrument evaluate methodological rigor qualitative research set decision rules used include qualitative research data collection evidence practice decisions hack reviews yet another format evidence paper practice policies paper educators find framework teaching development practice policies well discussion clear expectation students able design practice policies found newly revised capte evaluative criteria accreditation education programs preparation physical therapists final papers portney ross anderson find reports two attempts revise curricula meet challenges presented evidencebased practice papers recommend building link evidencebased practice clinical reasoning content portney provides examples integrating evidencebased practice courses clinical courses across curriculum ross anderson focus process creating course blends emphases found traditional research courses emphases found ebp content papers well rest special issue required reading faculty involved physical therapist professional education order stimulate dialogue within faculty whether came willingly reluctantly embrace ebp revolution educators meeting challenge provide students important key future profession time tell successful students continuing revolution practice educators agreed held accountable accreditation standards clearly express commitment goal editors note august 1997 issue physical therapy rothstein warned schools continue educate students primarily techniques without regard critical thinking use science clinical courses condemning students mediocrity students attend schools made first professional mistake mistake costly patients profession3p801 today student accredited program risk intellectual tyranny described michels1 1969 hands faculty uncommitted evidencebased practice however community must commit continued testing instructional assessment strategies reporting journal perhaps importantly strategies related teaching evidencebased practice need evidence curricular decisions physical therapy education new editor journal made goal5 education section journal must continue take leadership role fostering development evidencebased practice throughout profession jan gwyer pt phd guest editor