At ISCRR, we appreciate our talented team members’ wonderful work by showcasing it. This month, we are putting the spotlight on our resident Evidence Review specialist, Dr Sophie Pointer, by asking her to share her insights on three questions:
1. How did you come to be ISCRR’s Evidence Review expert?
“As an epidemiologist who has worked in injury surveillance for 20 years, I was interested in learning more about what happens to people after they suffer an injury. ISCRR presented an opportunity to see another side of injury epidemiology and learn new research skills like systematic reviewing.”
2. Why are some of the biggest challenges in conducting an evidence review, and how do you overcome them?
“One of the biggest challenges is helping people understand what question they want answered and how to focus and refine the concepts in order to conduct an effective evidence review. These sorts of challenges usually boil down to demystifying the processes involved in an evidence review, explaining the limitations and strengths, and being able to communicate effectively.”
3. What’s one thing you wish more people understood about the process and value of evidence reviews?
“Probably when an evidence review is done and dusted, they still might not get the answers they were looking for because the evidence isn’t there yet or what’s there is of low quality.”
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