Mapping Evidence-Based Medicine Education Across Canada’s Regional Medical Campuses

Abstract

Background: Distributed medical education is central to Canadian medical training and prepares physicians to serve diverse communities. With seventeen regional campuses nationwide, ensuring consistent acquisition of core competencies in evidence-based medicine (EBM) is important. Although accreditation bodies emphasize skills in critical appraisal and evidence-based decision-making, there is no standardized national framework that guides EBM curriculum development. Regional campuses face additional challenges in EBM teaching that have yet to be characterized. Objective: The aim of this study is to identify key barriers impacting EBM implementation at regional campuses and propose ways to address these challenges. Methods: In December 2025, a 22-item online survey was distributed to directors at regional medical campuses across Canada. The survey addressed several elements of EBM education, including curriculum content, teaching hours, timing within the curriculum, teaching modalities used, and assessment strategies. Respondents also identified institutional supports and challenges impacting EBM delivery. Results: By February 27, 2026, ten of seventeen Canadian regional campuses completed the survey. This presentation will summarize descriptive findings from regional campuses and compare them to results from a companion survey conducted at main campuses by the same research team. Comparative analysis will examine similarities and differences in curriculum structure, scholarly expectations, and faculty support, with a focus on barriers that impact the delivery of EBM curriculum at regional campuses. These findings will also highlight the innovative approaches that regional campuses have implemented to promote local scholarship and address challenges to EBM teaching. Conclusions: This survey will inform curriculum development at McMaster University and support national efforts to align EBM competencies across distributed education sites, including the Niagara Regional Campus. By strengthening EBM instruction, medical schools can foster equitable training environments and prepare physicians for evidence-informed clinical practice.