The development of an open web based resource for answering clinical questions: Catering to geographically dispersed learners, teachers and clinicians

Some of the problems facing medical students, teachers and medical practitioners today are increasing medical knowledge and publications, rising patient expectations, information management and patients' internet access. Key skills such as efficient identification and appraisal of quality evidence are essential for medical practitioners. In an academic environment where clinical teachers and students are geographically dispersed in regional and urban centres it is a challenge to provide resources to teaching staff to support a consistent approach to teaching evidence based practice. Here we describe the development of an open web based resource to assist staff to progressively develop medical students' key skills in answering clinical questions.