%0 Journal Article
%T Crowdsourcing trainees in a living systematic review provided valuable experiential learning opportunities: a mixed-methods study.
%A Lee C
%A Thomas M
%A Ejaredar M
%A Kassam A
%A Whittle SL
%A Buchbinder R
%A Tugwell P
%A Wells G
%A Pardo JP
%A Hazlewood GS
%J J Clin Epidemiol
%V 147
%N 0
%D 07 2022
%M 35364231
%F 7.407
%R 10.1016/j.jclinepi.2022.03.019
%X 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.
We conducted a mixed-methods study with trainees who participated in the LSR and 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, and quality assessment. Trainees completed a survey followed by a one-on-one interview. Data were triangulated to produce broad themes.
Twenty one trainees, most of whom had a 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 acknowledgment. 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.
Participating in an LSR provided benefits to a wide range of trainees and may provide an opportunity for experiential EBM training, while helping LSR sustainability.