Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Students' Experiences with the Use of Case-Based Learning to Develop Skills for Evidence-Based Practice

The American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) states that practitioners should use the principles of evidence-based practice (EBP) for clinical decision making. However, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) often report a lack of understanding, time, and resources to implement EBP. Clinicians who were exposed to EBP training during their graduate program or clinical fellowship are more likely to use EBP in their clinical practice; therefore, graduate programs in SLP must provide explicit EBP training to upcoming clinicians. At present, no consensus exists on the best way to train students in the principles of EBP. The present study sought to investigate student experiences and perceptions of a case-based learning (CBL) approach to training EBP. Thirty-two graduate SLP students completed a semester-long CBL activity which required them to create a PICO question, complete a literature review and annotated bibliography, and write a plan of care for a hypothetical clinical case. At the end of the semester, students were asked to write reflections on their use and learning of EBP during the course of the project. Those reflections were analyzed to understand the students' experiences with CBL as a method to learn the principles of EBP.