Background: Real world evidence refers to observational healthcare data beyond clinical trial data. It holds promise of transforming healthcare as a new form of evidence to support decision-makers in making decisions in developing and regulating medicines. As the importance of real world evidence is recognized by industry and regulatory bodies, teaching real world evidence becomes an important matter to evaluate and refine in order to develop future researchers and stakeholders who can better integrate RWE into the routine development of medicine.
Objective: The aim of this review is to understand how real world evidence is currently being taught. From this landscape study, the insufficiencies of current education of real world evidence can be identified and subsequently inform future education policies around RWE and its sub-facets.
Methods: We will search Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, HMIC, Cochrane and Web of Science for published studies using a combination of keywords and subject headings related to real world evidence and education. In addition, a Google search to identify grey literature will be conducted. Two authors will independently screen the titles and abstracts identified from the search and accept or reject the studies according to the study inclusion criteria, and any discrepancies will then be discussed and resolved. The quality of the included literature will be assessed using the CASP Systematic Review checklist.
Results: Data from eligible publications will be abstracted into a predesigned form in order to better understand the current state of education of RWE and inform future real world evidence education directions and policies.
Conclusions: The subsequent systematic review will be published in a peer-reviewed journal.