Evidence-Based Rheumatology

Abstract

Over the past years, there has been rapidly growing emphasis on teaching quality and the enhancement of the student learning experience. The evidence-based medicine paradigm came to prominence in the early 1990s adopting the use of scientific evidence to support history taking, physical assessment and diagnostic approach in the patients’ management decision process. Following on the evidence-based medicine is the more generic evidence-based practice paradigm, where the practice within a specific discipline or profession is guided by the scientific evidence that supports the day-to-day practice. For the evidence-based education paradigm, the evidence is used to identify methods for teaching, assessment and development of the education process. This chapter will provide an overview of key concepts relevant to general evidence-based education for health professionals, the relationship between evidence-based education and evidence-based practice, followed by the evidence-based practice specific for rheumatology.