Question

Explain internal and external evidence. Analyze if the combination of internal and external evidence benefits the patient. Describe an example from your practice.

Answer 1

It is a basic concept of evidence based medical practice. Internal evidence can be defined as anything which the person learns from the experiences, while external evidence can be received researches randomized control trials.

Both internal evidence and external evidence will be beneficial to the patient but most of the time the internal evidence may not be able to prove in the external evidence such as research. One of the best examples for the same in the case of medical research is yoga in the treatment of mental health. It was not been proven as a external evidence as there has a number criteria to be proved for the same, it has been very much helpful in the practical experiences especially for persons with obsessive compulsive disorder and mood disorder. Also, it will help to maintain a rhythm in the patient, and they will fell a sense of comfort for the same. So, both the internal and external evidence is very much useful and should be used mutually for the benefit of the patient.