Crowdsourcing trainees in a living systematic review provided valuable experiential learning opportunities: A mixed-methods study

Abstract
Objective: To understand trainee experiences of participating in a living systematic review (LSR) for rheumatoid arthritis, and the potential benefits in terms of experiential evidence-based medicine (EBM) education. Study Design and Setting: We conducted a mixed-methods study with trainees that participated in the LSR who were recruited broadly from training programs in two countries. Trainees received task-specific training and completed one or more tasks in the review: assessing article eligibility, data extraction, quality assessment. Trainees completed a survey followed by a 1-on-1 interview. Data were triangulated to produce broad themes. Results: Twenty-one trainees, most of whom had little prior experience with systematic reviews, reported a positive overall experience. Key benefits included learning opportunities, task segmentation (ability to focus on a single task, as opposed to an entire review), working in a supportive environment, international collaboration, and incentives such as authorship or acknowledgement. Trainees reported improvement in their competency as a Scholar, Collaborator, Leader, and Medical Expert. Challenges included communication and technical difficulties, and appropriate matching of tasks to trainee skillsets. Conclusion: Participating in a LSR provided benefits to a wide range of trainees and may provide an opportunity for experiential EBM training, while helping LSR sustainability.
Description
Keywords
living systematic review, systematic review, medical education, evidence-based medicine, rheumatoid arthritis, experiential learning
Citation
Lee, C., Thomas, M., Kassam, A., Whittle, S. L., Buchbinder, R., Tugwell, P., ... & Hazlewood, G. S. (2022). Crowdsourcing trainees in a living systematic review provided valuable experiential learning opportunities: A mixed-methods study. Journal of Clinical Epidemiology.