Integrating evidence synthesis into doctoral research: A guide for family medicine and primary care

Given the increased complexity of healthcare needs, evidence-informed practices are needed, now more than ever. Combining the best available research evidence, the perspectives of patients and communities, and the voices of healthcare workers in guiding policy and practice is essential. All of us involved in providing and strengthening family medicine and primary care need to be good consumers (users) of research, and some will be good producers (doers) of research. In both using and doing research, a helpful starting point is evidence synthesis – a form of secondary research that collates primary research on the same research question. This short report outlines when and how to incorporate evidence synthesis into doctoral work, highlighting methodological considerations, ethical principles and reporting standards. Practical tips and decision points are provided to support relevance, rigour and impact. Thoughtful integration of evidence synthesis – whether by using existing reviews or conducting new ones – enables doctoral researchers to contribute meaningfully to evidence-informed primary care practice and policy.