Systematic Reviews Workshop

Registration is now closed.

Dec. 2, 2020 − Virtual Workshop
9 a.m. − 12 p.m. via Zoom

Target audience
Residents, fellows and faculty interested in performing systematic reviews

Objectives

1. Design a protocol for a systematic review of intervention.
2. Assemble a systematic review in Revman software and perform meta-analysis.

Course director
Mohan Pammi, M.D., Ph.D., MRCPCH

From the Evidence Academy at Texas Children's Hospital
Ganga Gokulakrishnan, Aarti Bavare, Krithika Lingappan, Nirica Borges, Melissa Carbajal

Systematic reviews comprise the highest level in the hierarchy of evidence to inform clinical practice. Authors of systematic reviews first generate a protocol with the relevant clinical question, specify objectives, delineate the search strategy to identify all relevant publications and prespecify methodology of the review and meta-analysis, ‘a priori’. Once the protocol is registered with Cochrane or other registries, the review is performed first searching for studies that are eligible for inclusion and performing critical appraisal of included studies. A systematic review may be performed with only qualitative synthesis when meta-analysis, the statistical synthesis of data is not appropriate. Retrieving, appraising and synthesizing literature fulfills ACGME core competencies of patient care, medical knowledge and practice-based learning and promotes educational scholarship.

This workshop will enable learners to develop a roadmap for performing a systematic review using Cochrane methodology. The session will lead learners through each of the steps of creation of a protocol and systematic review. Knowledge and skills imparted will relate to formulating the clinical question in PICOT format (Population, Intervention, Comparators, Outcomes and Trial design), crystallizing the objectives of the review, developing a comprehensive search strategy, identifying studies eligible for inclusion in the review using the PRISMA flow diagram, appraising the evidence using accepted methods for evaluating risk of bias, extract data and perform analysis and meta-analysis of relevant data. Participants will learn to present results in summary findings tables, rate the quality of evidence using ‘Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach and derive conclusions for clinical practice and research. The workshop will close with a question and answer session and discussion of ideas for participants to perform systematic reviews at their home institutions.

Faculty and trainees at any stage in their career who are interested in learning the principles and practice of evidence-based medicine.