Off-Campus Learning Guide 2004
Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences

Graduate Certificate in Evidence Based Practice

Course code: 3419 + Monash Institute of Health Services Research, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton + Full-fee-paying course: $5100 (Australian residents) + $8300 (international students)

Aims

This course aims to give health-care providers an understanding of the history, concepts, collection and implementation of evidence-based practice and why it is important. On completion of this course, it is expected that graduates will:

• be competent to phrase questions in a precise and efficient way, resulting in comprehensive, relevant information retrieval
• have an understanding of the key components of a clinical question and the different types of information sources appropriate to the question
• be able to construct a search strategy and filter and appraise the literature
• have an understanding of the statistical terms used to summarise the results of these studies
• have a detailed understanding of how to conduct a systematic review of the evidence for treatment interventions
• understand the key principles of implementation of evidence resulting from the review.

Entry requirements

Applicants must have a three-year degree or a diploma with a major in a health-related area. Consideration will also be given to applicants with substantial experience and/or professionally relevant qualifications who are currently employed in a senior position in a health-related area.

Special requirements

To complete the course in the minimum time of one year, students need to complete two units per semester. Successful completion of the course requires a high degree of commitment from participants. All students should spend a reasonable amount of time per week working through online study materials, tutorial exercises and discussions. Time needs to be also set aside for review of study materials and completion of assignments.

To access the course materials, students need a personal computer running at least Windows Operating System 95/98 or Macintosh Operating System version 9 or later, MS Office and a recent version of Internet Explorer or Netscape web browser. Students also require internet access via an internet service provider of their choice. Minimum hardware requirements are a Pentium processor 133 megahertz; two gigabytes hard disk, 16 megabytes of RAM (32 megabytes recommended), monitor-800 x 600 at 65,000 colours, 28.8k modem or faster, sound card and CD-ROM drive.

Course structure

This course is offered over one-year, part-time consisting of the following four units :

• CPE7603 Contemporary issues in health informatics
• MCM5101 Evidence-based medicine
• EBP1000 Systematic review of the evidence for treatment interventions
• EBP1001 Implementation of the evidence

Assessment

Assessment consists of written assignments for each unit. Each assignment carries a different weight based on the complexity of the task. The assignments build upon each other over the course of the unit and the course.

Advanced standing for previous study

Recognition of prior learning will be given to students who have already completed CPE7603 (Contemporary issues in health informatics) as part of the Graduate Certificate or Graduate Diploma in Medical Informatics. Recognition of prior learning will also be given to students who have completed the content of EBP1000 (Systematic review of the evidence for treatment interventions through the Cochrane Collaboration).

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