A scholarship to foster future leaders in evidence based medicine

Doug Altman (1948-2018) was The BMJ’s chief statistician for over 20 years. His work on improving the execution and reporting of research made him a world leader in evidence based medicine and a distinguished role model. Doug helped researchers design and report good quality studies to answer important clinical questions. His editorial, “The scandal of poor medical research,” written in 1994 is essential reading for those new to evidence based medicine.1 Its call for “less research, better research, and research done for the right reasons” remains relevant today. His passion for teaching and mentoring makes him a source of inspiration for early career researchers.

To commemorate his contribution and leadership to medical research, the EBMLive conference—a collaboration between Oxford’s Centre for Evidence Based Medicine and The BMJ—is launching the inaugural Doug Altman Scholarship (see box). The scholarship encourages and supports future leaders in evidence based medicine by offering a valuable opportunity to early career researchers seeking to improve the quality of research and its use in clinical practice. Those who will shape the future of evidence based medicine need places to meet, learn, exchange ideas, be inspired, and help to inspire others. They also need a seat at the table, …