ABSTRACT
Introduction Traditionally, education in healthcare has been didactic or involved learning practical skills at the patient's bedside, with the aim of creating professionals who demonstrate the same modes of thinking and knowledge base as their teachers. This style of education was appropriate when treatment protocols and guidelines changed little over time and whilst the evidence base for treatment was poor with few effective treatments available. However, in the current environment, the health professional is faced with a rapidly evolving evidence base for a portfolio of increasingly effective treatments. Treating according to the research evidence base is seen as an important aspect of good healthcare practice,1'2 but cannot be done without the skills to search and critically review the literature. The modern health practitioner must also be able to take into account uncertainty and risk in his or her assessments, diagnosis and choice of management strategies,3-5 and be aware of political realities and the possibility of litigation.
