There is no evidence that it is better (or worse) to be given treatment in a teaching or a nonteaching hospital. The researchers note that a limitation of their analysis is that it was based on studies that were not "randomized controlled trials". (The most reliable way of comparing two types of treatment is to decide at random which treatment each patient receives but, in practice, it would be difficult to set up a study where the decision on which hospital a patient should go to was made at random.)

The researchers also raise the possibility that differences might be found if considering specific diseases one by one, rather than putting information on all conditions together. However, they believe that any such difference would be small. Their findings will be useful in the continuing debate on the most effective ways to train doctors, while at the same time providing the best possible care for patients.

'"/>

Contact: Andrew Hyde
press@plos.org
44-122-346-3330
Public Library of Science
11-Sep-2006