Prospective assessment of a critical appraisal teaching programme on medical students' confidence and performance in appraising medical literature

Background: Previous research has demonstrated that medical students have insufficient knowledge of critical appraisal, a fundamental aspect of evidence-based medicine. We aimed to enhance medical students' critical appraisal skills using an innovative mixed-methods programme. Methods: We designed a 2-day, mixed-methods, national teaching programme, including an interactive lecture and workshop, quiz and viva-style examination. Course efficacy was assessed using pre- and post-course confidence questionnaires and a quiz adapted from the validated Berlin Questionnaire. Data were analysed primarily using Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test. Results: Fifty-nine participants from 17 medical schools completed the programme. Pre- and post-course scores demonstrated significant improvement in confidence (median score 5 vs 8; p < 0.001) and quiz performance (median score 9 vs 13; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Our study demonstrates the efficacy of a novel mixed-methods programme in teaching medical students about critical appraisal. Implementation of our approach within the undergraduate curriculum should enhance the uptake of these fundamental skills.