Original Research Paper
Inclination towards a research career among first year medical students: an international study
Authors:
Say-Beng Tan ,
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, SG
About Say-Beng
Singapore Clinical Research Institute, Singapore
National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
Gerald C. H. Koh,
National University of Singapore, National University Health System, SG
About Gerald C. H.
Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine
Ying-Wei Ding,
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, SG
About Ying-Wei
National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
Rahul Malhotra,
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, SG
Tam Cam Ha,
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, SG
About Tam Cam
National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
Ricardo Pietrobon,
Duke-NUS Graduate Medical School, SG
About Ricardo
Duke University Medical Centre, Durham, NC, USA
Rina Kusumaratna,
Trisakti University, Jakarta, ID
Rodney Nan Tie,
Tropical Medical Training, North Queensland, AU
Guilherme Cunha,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, BR
Henrique Martins,
Faculdade de Ciencias da Saúde, Universidade da Beira Interior, PT
Arnfinn Seim,
Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO
Fernando Altermatt,
Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Santiago, CL
Aya Biderman,
Ben-Gurion University, Beer-Sheva, IL
Thandi Puoane,
Singapore Clinical Research Institute, SG
About Thandi
National Cancer Centre Singapore, Singapore
Elias Carvalho,
University of the Western Cape, ZA
Truls Ostbye
Singapore Clinical Research Institute, SG
About Truls
Duke University Medical Centre, Durham, NC, USA
Abstract
Introduction: The importance of fostering clinicians who are also scientists is well recognized. It is of value to assess medical students’ inclination towards and self-perceived readiness for a research career, as this has implications on the future development of such individuals.
Methods: A questionnaire was self-administered to all consenting first year medical students from eleven universities in ten countries. Questions were asked pertaining to inclination towards research careers, confidence in research methodology and ability to understand medical literature.
Results: A total of 1354 questionnaires were completed, with a mean response rate of 76.5%. While 24.8% students expressed an interest in pursuing a research career, 48.3% were undecided. Students with prior research experience and students who were attending graduate medical school programmes were more likely to have an interest in a research career after graduation. Males were more interested in learning about biostatistics than females, while the reverse was true for learning about research ethics.
Discussion: Most students in their first year of medical school are not inclined towards a research career. This finding applies internationally, across different countries and medical school systems. Thus, the onus is on medical schools to help transform the perception and attitudes of their students during the course of their training, so that a greater proportion will be interested in and ultimately pursue research careers.
How to Cite:
Tan, S.-B., Koh, G.C.H., Ding, Y.-W., Malhotra, R., Ha, T.C., Pietrobon, R., Kusumaratna, R., Tie, R.N., Cunha, G., Martins, H., Seim, A., Altermatt, F., Biderman, A., Puoane, T., Carvalho, E. and Ostbye, T., 2011. Inclination towards a research career among first year medical students: an international study. South-East Asian Journal of Medical Education, 5(2), pp.49–59. DOI: http://doi.org/10.4038/seajme.v5i2.197
Published on
28 Dec 2011.
Peer Reviewed
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