USING SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS IN CLINICAL EDUCATION

Traditional educational methods change clinical practice only with con siderable effort and difficulty. In particular, the teaching of critic al appraisal in the setting of journal clubs does not increase the amo unt of medical research read by trainees. Experiential learning theory , corroborated by the success of problem-based learning, encourages us to link learning to the numerous medical questions that physicians ge nerate while providing patient care. Systematic reviews can link these questions with the results of research that would otherwise be diffic ult to locate, read, and appraise. Systematic reviews are a uniquely p owerful mechanism for teaching, and they offer teachers a new opportun ity to model rational and effective use of information. Systematic rev iews should be made available at clinical sites for use during ''teach able moments.'' Resistance to the use of systematic reviews can be red uced by using existing journal clubs to teach about the strengths and limitations of these reviews. The point that systematic reviews are me ant to assist, not replace, clinical decision making deserves emphasis in such teaching.