Evidence-based thinking and why it matters. Views expressed represent the views of the author and not necessarily those of CEBM as a group.
Small choices, big outcomes: Alexandra Caulfield’s reflections on the Health Behaviour Change short course
10 April 2025
Alexandra Caulfield reflects on her experience taking the Health Behaviour Change short course at Oxford, exploring how everyday health choices shape our lives and how behavioural science can be applied in primary care to support positive change.
Who would take an Evidence-Based Health Care History and Philosophy short course?
12 March 2025
What does philosophy have to do with Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC)? More than you might think! In this blog, we highlight the mistakenly perceived dissonance of the two, as explored by module lead Dr Jonathan Livingstone-Banks, and share insights from students who have taken the History and Philosophy of Evidence-Based Health Care course at Oxford.
What does it mean to be ‘living’? In the case of systematic reviews, it depends on who you ask.
DPhil in Evidence-Based Health Care student Melanie Golob investigates definitions of living systematic reviews and whether Cochrane Reviews are the gold standard.
With a supportive environment on your side, you can successfully carve out your own bespoke professional and educational path, and wonderful opportunities will arise in the process
13 February 2025
MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care recent alumna Athina Metaxa shares why she chose the programme and her delight at having her findings published in the BMJ.
Reflecting on the Teaching Evidence-Based Practice short course at Oxford
Dr Angela Difeng Wu shares her reflections on taking the Teaching Evidence-Based Practice short course at the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, University of Oxford.
A simple revolutionary approach every GP should know: MSc in EBHC alumna Nur Hidayati Handayani shares details of her research on social prescribing, and its publication by the BJGP
11 November 2024
MSc in EBHC alumna Nur Hidayati Handayani shares details of her research on social prescribing, and her delight in its publication by the British Journal of General Practice (BJGP)
From statistics for clinical trials to medical machine learning, AI and healthcare industry inroads: One MSc in Evidence-Based Healthcare student’s journey
3 October 2024
MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care Medical Statistics student Dr Wallen Mphepo shares his experience of the programme, highlighting in particular the Statistics for Clinical Trials module.
Is perfect the enemy of good enough when trying to change our health behaviours?
Nicola Lindson, Module Co-ordinator for our new Health Behaviour Change course explores whether the ‘all or nothing’ approach to changing our behaviours around health is wise, or if a more measured approach secures better outcomes.
The Creation of the Oxford-Egypt EBHC Alliance
EBHC DPhil alumna Ranin Soliman and EBHC Teaching and Education programme director David Nunan share their viewpoints on the new Oxford-Egypt EBHC Alliance, the parts they have played in making it happen and its predicted impact on healthcare in Egypt and beyond.
Celebrating 30 Years of Oxford’s Teaching Evidence-Based Medicine: Reflections and the Road Ahead
This September, the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine is celebrating 30 years of the Teaching Evidence-Based Medicine course. As we celebrate this incredible milestone, it’s crucial to reflect on our past while looking toward the future—especially in light of the evolving landscape captured in the concept of EBM 2.0.
From Colombia to Oxford: Virginia Zarama’s journey through the MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care
11 July 2024
Virginia Zarama, recent graduate of the MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care (EBHC) programme, shares her experience of the course.
Planning some qualitative research? Here’s how our Qualitative Research Methods course can help.
Dr Aleksandra Borek, Senior Researcher and tutor on Qualitative Research Methods shares invaluable insights into using qualitative research
Having experienced my fair share of ineffective online learning prior to the pandemic, I was keen to find ways to make my own online teaching more effective and engaging.
11 April 2024
Research fellow Cervantée Wild shares with us her experience of taking the Developing Online Educational Resources short course
The twelfth in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from Dr Nicola Lindson
In this blog interview Dr Nicola Lindson shares with us which living systematic review that she’s led or been involved in she would choose to take with her to read, if she was stranded on a desert island.
Balance is your best friend—mix rigorous study with the rich experiences Oxford offers. Network like a pro; your next big collaboration could be waiting just around the corner.
11 March 2024
Independent mental health counsellor and award-winning MSc in EBHC graduate Nur Hidayati Handayani shares her experiences on the programme with us
The eleventh in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from Professor Mike Clarke.
In this blog interview Professor Mike Clarke shares with us which systematic review that he’s led or been involved in he would choose to take with him to read, if he was stranded on a desert island.
The tenth in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from José Manuel Ordóñez Mena
22 February 2024
In this blog interview José Manuel Ordóñez Mena shares with us which systematic review that he’s led or been involved in he would choose to take with him to read, if he was stranded on a desert island.
The ninth in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from Tom Jefferson
15 February 2024
In this blog interview Tom Jefferson shares with us which systematic review he would choose to take with him to read, if he was stranded on a desert island.
Can high-cost drugs be good value? The case of Casgevy for sickle-cell disease and beta-thalassemia
Dr Padraig Dixon, Senior Researcher in Health Economics and module co-ordinator for our EBHC Economics of Healthcare module offers an insight into one of the areas explored in the module
The eighth in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from Dr Igho Onakpoya.
In this blog interview Dr Igho Onakpoya shares with us which systematic review that he’s led or been involved in he would choose to take with him to read, if he was stranded on a desert island.
The first step to being a good teacher is understanding what it means to be an effective educator.
2 February 2024
Epidemiologist, health behaviour scientist and post-doctoral researcher Min Gao shares with us the benefits she gained by taking the Teaching Evidence-Based Practice module as a short course.
The seventh in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from Dr Jeffrey Aronson .
In this blog interview Dr Jeffrey Aronson shares with us which systematic review that he’s led or been involved in he would choose to take with him to read, if he was stranded on a desert island.
The sixth in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from Dr Susannah Fleming
25 January 2024
In this blog interview Dr Susannah Fleming shares with us which systematic review that she’s led or been involved in she would choose to take with her to read, if she was stranded on a desert island.
The fifth in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from Dr Geoff Wong .
In this blog interview Dr Geoff Wong shares with us which systematic review that he’s led or been involved in he would choose to take with him to read, if he was stranded on a desert island.
The fourth in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from Dr Annette Plüddemann
In this blog interview Dr Annette Plüddemann shares with us which systematic review that she’s led or been involved in she would choose to take with her to read, if she was stranded on a desert island.
The third in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from Dr David Nunan
In this blog interview Dr David Nunan shares with us which systematic review that he’s led or been involved in he would choose to take with him to read, if he was stranded on a desert island.
The second in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from Dr Stephanie Tierney
In this blog interview Dr Stephanie Tierney shares with us which systematic review that she’s led or been involved in she would choose to take with her to read, if she was stranded on a desert island.
The first in our series of Friday 'Desert Island Reviews', featuring tutors from the MSc in EBHC (Systematic Reviews) programme, is from Professor Kamal R Mahtani.
In this blog interview Professor Kamal R Mahtani shares with us which systematic review that he’s led or been involved in he would choose to take with him to read, if he was stranded on a desert island.
The need to evaluate research integrity when systematic reviewing: a Study Within A Review (SWAR)
27 October 2023
Sixth year medical students Jennifer Knight and Archie Wing share details of their study within a review (SWAR) focusing on evaluating research integrity as part of their special study module at the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine
Are systematic reviews as trustworthy as we think? A case for critical appraisal bias in back pain research.
Final year medical students Lisa and Laura joined Dr David Nunan at the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (CEBM) for a three-week special study module (SSM). While developing their understanding of systematic review principles and evolutions in the field, they also developed a protocol to investigate the potential impact of implicit bias on systematic review findings.
Critical care physician Ana Spataru shares her experiences as a recent student on the MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care
19 October 2023
Ana Spataru completed her MSc In Evidence-Based Health Care thesis in 2022 with a project focusing on the use of automatic technology for the administration of intravenous medication, a task usually performed by healthcare professionals.
Can we trust the integrity of trial evidence informing UK clinical guidelines?
22 August 2023
Final year medical students Minahil, Oskar, and Sukhmunni joined Dr David Nunan at the Centre for Evidence Based Medicine (CEBM) for a three-week special study module (SSM). While developing their understanding of some of the issues currently facing medical research, they also developed a protocol to further understand the scope of these issues.
Is the ‘best’ really the ‘best’? Chris Banks-Pillar recently completed his MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care focusing on the conundrum of whether the ‘best’ evidence really is the 'best’.
1 August 2023
Chris Banks-Pillar shares his journey interrogating the integrity of evidence around exercise-based interventions for treating non-specific chronic lower back pain (NSCLBP) for his MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care dissertation.
Arsenio Paez shares with us his experiences during his DPhil in Evidence Based-Health Care and his plans to utilise these in his research, and with the students he teaches.
Arsenio Paez completed his DPhil in Evidence-Based Health Care in May 2023. Here he shares how this experience will inform his research focused on sleep, Alzheimer's Disease, and dementia and his teaching, in Canada.
Teaching evidence-based health care and being a doctor – a marriage made in heaven
Alumni, Anand Rajan, reflects his experience of the Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching Evidence-Based Health Care and how this is only the beginning of his EBHC educator’s journey.
From Data to Doctors: Unravelling AI's Role in Revolutionizing Evidence-Based Healthcare Education
27 June 2023
"This isn't just about futuristic robots teaching medical students; it's about transforming the entire process of how we educate the healthcare professionals of the future."
Hear Ranin Soliman's experiences during her recently completed DPhil in EBHC about generating evidence to improve childhood cancer health outcomes and resource use in Egypt
Ranin Soliman completed her DPhil in Evidence-Based Health Care in May 2023. Her DPhil research work focused on generating evidence to improve childhood cancer health outcomes and resource use in Egypt.
Research highlight: Electronic Cigarettes for Smoking Cessation: Cochrane Living Systematic Review
8 March 2023
Today is National No Smoking Day 2023, and we're delighted to share the research happening across the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences and the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, to determine the effects of e-cigarettes to help smokers achieve long‐term abstinence.
Investigating the Epidemiology of Opioids in England
6 March 2023
In this blog, fourth year medical student, Antonia-Oliva Roberts, discusses her extended essay, investigating opioid consumption in England, as part of the Final Honour's Scheme.
Evidence-based research needs to become our day-to-day tool to address health challenges and answer complex problems
19 January 2023
In this blog, MSc EBHC student, Filippo Giliberti, discusses how the programme enables students to ask bold questions and answer complex health problems.
The student voice: Medical Student Ioan Baxter share 3rd-year research project
7 December 2022
Ioan Baxter, a 3rd-year medical student, at Worcester College, writes this blog, detailing his research project, as part of the Final Honours Scheme Research Projects Programme, completed under the supervision of Dr. David Nunan of the Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine.
Response to Physicians for Smoke-Free Canada’s coverage of the Cochrane review of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation
28 November 2022
In this blog, Dr Jamie Hartmann-Boyce and Dr Nicola Lindson from the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group, address comments and questions raised by Physicians for a Smoke-Free Canada, relating to the recently published Cochrane review of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation.
7 things to know about e-cigarettes and quitting smoking
23 November 2022
In this blog, Jamie Hartmann-Boyce from the Cochrane Tobacco Addiction Group and Martin Dockrell from the Office of Health Improvement and Disparities share 7 things you need to know about e-cigarettes and quitting smoking.
The precarity of health policy
22 November 2022
In this blog, researchers and module coordinators, Dr Nicola Lindson and Jonathan Livingstone-Banks, discuss the Nuffield Intervention Ladder: a way of systematising interventions on the ‘Libertarianism’ to ‘Collectivism’ ideological spectrum that often influence approaches to public health matters.
Postgraduate perspective: Generating a Research Question for a Systematic Review
16 November 2022
Many postgraduate students struggle to formulate their research questions. In this blog, Evidence-Based Health Care DPhil student, Ali Mulhem, shares his experience of finding a research question for a dissertation, having previously completed the MSc in Evidence-Based Health Care.
Alumnus perspective: Developing research skills and a questioning mindset
27 October 2022
In this blog, MSc in EBHC alumnus, Drew Dagens, reflects on his experience of the programme and his research project under the supervision of Course Director, Annette Plüddemann, having recently published his dissertation in the journal, 'Clinical Microbiology and Infection'.
Is it time for OCEBM Levels of Evidence v.3?
In this blog, EBHC DPhil student, Ranin Soliman, reveals why she believes now, as we emerge out of the covid-19 pandemic, is a crucial time to revise the OCEBM 2011 Levels of Evidence v.2, to address health economic evaluation and avoid over-estimation of predicted outcomes and misinterpretation of findings.
Angille Heintzman: Transition from MSc to DPhil in Evidence-Based Healthcare
20 October 2022
EBHC DPhil student, Angille Heintzman, shares her experience having completed an MSc in EBHC and now furthering her education by completing a DPhil in EBHC.