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Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice Flashcards

7 cards from real NBOME practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

Read the first 7 Research Methods & Evidence-Based Practice flashcards as text

  1. Which source sits at the top of the traditional evidence hierarchy for therapy questions?

    Answer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs

    Systematic reviews of high-quality RCTs give the strongest evidence for treatment decisions.

  2. A physician asks, 'In adults with chronic low back pain, does OMT compared with NSAIDs reduce pain at 12 weeks?' Which framework does this question follow?

    Answer: PICO

    PICO stands for Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome.

  3. A meta-analysis funnel plot is asymmetric because small studies with negative results are missing. What does this suggest?

    Answer: Publication bias

    Missing small negative studies make the plot asymmetric, a classic sign of publication bias.

  4. A meta-analysis reports I² = 82%. What is the best interpretation?

    Answer: High heterogeneity among study results

    An I² above roughly 75% means substantial heterogeneity, which calls for a random-effects model and caution in interpretation.

  5. A test has 80% sensitivity and 90% specificity. What is the positive likelihood ratio?

    Answer: 8

    LR+ = sensitivity/(1 − specificity) = 0.80/0.10 = 8.

  6. A trial aims to show that a cheaper oral antibiotic is not meaningfully worse than standard IV therapy within a prespecified margin. What is this design?

    Answer: Non-inferiority trial

    Non-inferiority trials test whether a new treatment is no worse than the standard by more than a set margin.

  7. A drug is first given to about 200 patients with the target disease to assess efficacy and optimal dosing. Which clinical trial phase is this?

    Answer: Phase II

    Phase II uses a small group of affected patients to evaluate efficacy and dosing.

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