Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of integrating the evidence-based medicine (EBM) PICOS framework with case-based learning (CBL) in the teaching of neurorehabilitation.

Methods: A total of 100 third-year undergraduates majoring in rehabilitation therapy at Changsha Medical University (Class of 2021) were randomly assigned into two groups through stratified randomization: a reform group and a control group, with 50 students in each. In the neurorehabilitation course, the control group received traditional teaching methods (lecture-based learning), while the reform group was taught using the EBM-PICOS framework combined with CBL. After course completion, teaching effectiveness was compared between the two groups across three dimensions: academic performance, learning outcomes, and clinical internship adaptability.

Results: Compared with the control group, the reform group demonstrated statistically significant improvements in academic performance and clinical internship adaptation scores (P<0.05). The reform group also showed superior learning outcomes in seven aspects: learning engagement, self-directed learning competency, evidence-based practice proficiency, literature retrieval skills, clinical reasoning ability, applied knowledge integration, and professional identity (all P<0.05). However, no statistically significant difference was observed in medical ethics and professionalism between the two groups (P>0.05).

Conclusion: The integration of the EBM-PICOS framework with CBL enhances teaching effectiveness in neurorehabilitation and effectively cultivates rehabilitation competency among rehabilitation therapy students.