OBJECTIVES: To assess the perception of healthcare and management postgraduate students (identifying themselves as students as researchers) in rapid evidence protocol synthesis in context to pandemic uncertainty on healthcare service delivery and public health implications.

METHODS: A baseline and post study semi structured interview were undertaken to gauge insight on postgraduates perception on role of applied evidence in global pandemics. The training involved development and standardisation of rapid review protocol. Five groups (4 participants per group) developed 5 rapid evidence protocol on COVID-19 related topics comprising: (1) causality of adverse events with COVID-19 vaccination (2) vaccine uptake - hesitancy and barriers among young people (3) psychological impact of lockdown and social distancing (4) self medication consumption behaviour during the pandemic (5) substance abuse and misuse.

RESULTS: Twenty eligible postgraduates completed the training program. Semi-structured interviews data generated six meta themes and four sub themes. Perception about researchers, relevance of research resources in context to global health uncertainty, challenges in communicating patients on health related conspiracy theories and challenges in applied skill development were key themes. All participants strongly recommended incorporation of applied evidence course at undergraduate and postgraduate level.

CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare and healthcare management curriculum needs flexibility and adaptability within the context of global pandemics. Lack in current learning methodologies on training students in applied evidence provides opportunity for advanced skill development and uptake. Through students as researchers identity this multidisciplinary project recommends interdisciplinary engagement and emphasise the relevance of rapid adaptability to current learning methods in the field of applied evidence.