Background: The medical undergraduate course of the Universidade Federal de São Paulo (Unifesp) has formally included evidence-based medicine (EBM) in its curriculum since 2000, which has made it recognized as a leading hub for EBM teaching and research in Brazil. However, the concepts and application of EBM do not yet seem to be fully consolidated in many Latin American medical schools, whether public or private.
Objectives: To report the design and implementation of an on-line, short pilot course addressing concepts and practical issues on EBM, offered by Unifesp in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, for medical students in El Salvador.
Methods: Case study conducted in the Discipline of Evidence-Based Medicine, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Unifesp, Brazil and supported by Fundação de Apoio à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo through an academic scholarship (Fapesp, number 2019/20691-4).
Results: A free, short-duration, on-line course focused on 39 medical students from Universidad Dr José Matías Delgado, Antiguo Cuscatlán El Salvador. The 26-hour course lasted 7 weeks, consisting of (a) six asynchronous theoretical-practical classes addressing key concepts on EBM (12 hours, Portuguese audio with Spanish subtitles), (b) six synchronous tutorials in small groups for addressing students’ questions (12 hours, conducted in Spanish), and (c) 2-hour final meeting for feedbacks. The tutors were 10 ex-students of the EBM league at Unifesp with Spanish communication skills or who were native Spanish speakers. Pre- and post-course tests and a satisfaction form were completed by the participants, and an analysis is underway to endorse the potential of this pilot course. All educational tools used were free: Google meeting, Jamboard, Google drive, and Google Classroom.
Conclusions: This course appeared to be a feasible, acceptable, and sustainable strategy to introduce EBM concepts and practical applicability among medical students. EBM can operate as a link between students from different countries and languages. Patient, public, and/or healthcare consumer involvement: By introducing EBM to students who would not have this opportunity during their education, this initiative could contribute to the development of skills useful for their future career and in the performance of evidence-based clinical practice along the patient care.