Evidence-based veterinary medicine 1. Why is it important and what skills are needed?

THIS is the first part of a series of three articles on evidence-based veterinary medicine (EBVM) - a discipline which increasingly is being recognised as having a fundamental role to play in day-to-day veterinary practice, as well as being vital to the future development of the profession. The article defines what EBVM is, explains its importance and describes the range of skills required to practise EBVM. Parts 2 and 3, which will be published in the February and March issues, respectively, will look in greater detail at first identifying information needs and searching for evidence, and then appraising the evidence.