1. EVIDENCE BASED PRACTICE
Program: MS Physical Therapy
Course Title: Evidence Based Practice
Course code: PTHY 715
Total Credit Hours: 2 (Theory = 1, Practical / Labs. = 1)
Study Duration: 16 weeks
Aims of the course: This course aims to discuss the
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Defining Evidence-based practice
o Why we need evidence for better clinical decision making
o What do we mean by ‘best evidence?’
Getting started with evidence based practice
o Formulating a clinical question – learning the PICO
format
o Searching for evidence (literature)
o Critically appraise literature for validity
o Implementing findings in clinical practice
o Evaluate outcomes
Differences between research and evidence
o Research
o Evidence based practice
o Audit
Appraising internet based evidence
Grey literature
The literature review process
o Primary and secondary sources for literature review
Levels of evidence
o Best evidence for diagnostic, prognostic and intervention
questions
Clinical prediction rules
o What are they
o how to use them for diagnosing, prognosis and response
to intervention
o validating CPRs
1. Derivation of rule
2. Validation of rule
3. Impact analysis

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Critically Appraised Topics (CAT)
o Format of CAT
o Distinguishing features and limitations
Evidence based clinical practice guidelines
o Purpose of guidelines
o Steps of developing guidelines
o Limitations of guidelines
o Organizations of clinical guidelines
Overview of types of research
o Basic and applied
o Quantitative and qualitative
o Experimental and non experimental
o Translational research
Experimental studies
o Randomized control trials
o Single subject designs
o Quasi experimental studies
Exploratory studies
o Cohorts
o Case control studies
o Historical research
o Methodological studies
Descriptive studies
o Developmental studies
o Normative studies
o Case studies
Synthesis of research
o Meta analysis of exploratory and experimental studies
o Systematic reviews
Concept of sensitivity and specificity in a diagnostic test
o SpPin
o SnNout
Sensitivity and specificity in literature search
Search engines and databases
o CINAHL, PubMed, PEDro
o APTA’s Hooked on evidence
The PEDro scale of assessing quality of a study
Lab activities
o Literature search strategies of diagnostic, prognostic and
intervention related questions

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o Clinical queries
Critical appraisal
i. Appraising evidence about diagnostic tests
ii. Appraising evidence about prognosis
iii. Appraising evidence about interventions
Justifying the application of principles of evidence based
practice to practice of physical therapy
Critical thinking in the assignments of a case based study.
Promoting professionalism, literature search, hypothesis
narrowing and proper methods of citations.
Credit Hours Distribution:
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Total Credit Hours = 2
o Theory = 1 Credit Hours
o Practical / Labs. = 1 Credit Hour
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One Credit hour theory = 60 minutes (1 Clock Hour)
One credit hour practical/Labs. = 120 minutes (2 Clock
Hours)
Assessment criteria: This course will be evaluated from a total of 100
marks.
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Final Examination (BCQs) = 50%
 Mid term examination = 30% (10% BCQs & 20% case study
/ critical appraisal)
 Practical/ Labs. = 10% (Literature Searching)
 Assignment / Continuous Assessment = 10%