This well done book is partly an introduction to teaching/practicing Evidence Based Medicine (EBM)and partly an act of evangelism. The authors are concerned not only with describing the basic methods of EBM but also with convincing readers that this is the appropriate way to practice and teach clinical medicine. EBM and its precursor movements are based on the correct realization that physicians tend not to be very critical about clinical practice, much of which is learned by emulation. This book builds on an existing movement and the presence of widely available online resources to tap into appropriate critical evaluations of clinical practice. In doing so, the authors attempt to educate physicians about how to use these resources, relatively simple statistical tools that can be incorporated into application of good clinical literature to practice, and how to teach these methods. Because the authors are academics who wish to influence medical education, there is a good deal of emphasis on educational methods. While this may be an apparent short coming for readers who are not academics, it is actually worthwhile for all physicians because self-education is a constant part of our job. This book is very well done with some nice features. It is small and has a durable plastic cover, designed to carried in pockets or in a medical bag, there is a small CD with good examples, and a set of plasticized flash cards on major key points. Drawbacks are relatively minor. More information on how to analyze clinical trials and studies would be useful but in a concise book, something has to give way. Used carefully, the information in this book may change your practice and teaching methods.
