Evidence Based Medicine

Facts are the air of scientists. Without them you can never fly.*

Linus Pauling

Introduction:

“Medicine is both an art and a science.” This statement is not just a cliché. The art of medicine is the ability of the physician to collect information from a patient, interpret it, and tailor treatment that best suits the individual’s needs. The science of medicine is choosing the most effective treatment based on the best medical literature available. As a physician, or other health care provider, you will spend countless hours poring over journal articles and partaking in continuing medical education in an effort to help your patients: and, of course, to maintain your licensure and board certification. Studying EBM may seem like a departure from clinical medicine, as we have studied it so far in this text, but in fact it actually defines how one diagnoses and treats disease. Reviewing medical literature will be a big part of the rest of your life as you practice evidence based medicine.