This course is designed to teach health care professionals, who have some background in critical appraisal of the literature and study design, how to systematically review evidence related to interventions, diagnostic tests, prognosis, or prevalence. The course will also cover statistical techniques for meta-analysis.

Students will select a research question for their systematic review. They will be evaluated on submission of a review protocol and final paper describing their completed systematic review and meta-analysis, in addition to presentations and class participation. It is expected that students will eventually publish their reviews in a peer-reviewed journal or the Cochrane Library.

Before the first session, it is highly recommended that students develop a systematic review title and question (using the PICO format, or other format as appropriate for the question). In addition, it is recommended to conduct a preliminary literature search (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, PROSPERO) to identify any protocols or reviews that might overlap with your topic, and to verify that sufficient primary literature exists to make your proposed review feasible.

Objectives: The primary objective is for the student to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis that will be acceptable for publication in a peer-reviewed journal or as a Cochrane review. A secondary objective is to develop scientific writing skills.