• Odhwani A
• Sarkar PK
• Giggleman G
• Holmes MM
• Pohlman KA

• Affiliation / AECC University College
• Affiliation / Parker University. Department of Basic Sciences
• Affiliation / Parker University. Research Institute
• Affiliation(G) / England / Bournemouth
• Affiliation(G) / United States / Texas / Dallas
• Curriculum
• Education, Chiropractic
• Evidence-Based Chiropractic
• Evidence-Based Chiropractic / education
• Evidence-Based Practice
• Evidence-Based Practice / education
• Open Access Document
• Surveys and Questionnaires / United Kingdom

Objective: To assess the self-perceived importance, skills, and utilization of evidence-based practice (EBP) among faculty and students at a chiropractic institution without a structured EBP program. The survey also evaluated EBP satisfaction among students and EBP implementation barriers/facilitators among the faculty.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a set of organized questionnaires to assess the importance of EBP and self-perceived skills, utilization, barriers, and facilitators for faculty members, and student satisfaction was administered to the students and faculty of a chiropractic institution in February–March 2016. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate responses.

Results: A total of 417 (60.1%) students and 27 (60.0%) faculty members completed the survey. Faculty members' and students' EBP importance values were similar (8.4 and 8.3 out of 10, respectively), but faculty members self-reported their EBP skills (7.3/10) at a higher level than the student self-reported skill level (6.1/10). For utilization, students reported a higher utilization of EBP than that reported by the responding faculty members. Perceived student satisfaction on the quality and content of research-related experiences decreased from the first year to the third (final) year.

Conclusion: This study found variance in the self-perceived EBP skills, utilization, barriers, and facilitators and that these skills are lagging at our doctor of chiropractic program, which does not have a structured EBP program. Faculty members and students identified the importance for EBP. Similar observations have been found at other chiropractic institutions prior to their implementation of a systematic EBP program. Those developing an EBP curriculum might use these findings to better design, implement, and assess a structured program.

Author keywords: Chiropractic, Curriculum, Education, Evidence-Based Practice

Author affiliations: ASO, PKS, GFG: Department of Basic Sciences, Parker University, Dallas, Texas, United States; MMH: AECC University College,   Bournemouth, United Kingdom; KAP: Parker University Research Institute, Parker University, Dallas, Texas, United States
Corresponding author: KAP—KPohlman@parker.edu

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