Motivating medical students to do research: a mixed methods study using Self-Determination Theory

Abstract

BackgroundIt is widely accepted that all medical graduates should understand the uses and methods of rigorous research, with a need to promote research to graduates who will pursue an academic career. This study aimed to explore, identify and explain what motivates and demotivates medical students to do research.MethodsA convergent parallel mixed methods study was conducted. Cross-sectional quantitative survey data (n = 579) and qualitative semi-structured interview findings (n = 23) data were separately collected and analysed. Informed by Self-Determination Theory (SDT), quantitative and qualitative findings were integrated to develop a model for the factors associated with medical students’ expressed motivation to do research, and related to clinical and research learning activities at different stages in an undergraduate medical program.ResultsOnly 7.5 % of students had research experience prior to entering the program. Survey results revealed that students who had experienced exposure to the uncertainties of clinical practice through clerkships (Pre-Clinical (48 %) vs Clinical Years (64 %), p < 0.001), and a sense of achievement through supported compulsory research activities which were conducted as a team (Pre- Community Research (51 %) vs Post-Community Research (66 %), p < 0.001), were more likely to view future research activities positively. When integrated with qualitative findings using the three SDT domains of autonomy, competence and relatedness, eight major themes were identified: Self & Time, Career, Bureaucracy, Financial, Confidence, Clinical Relevance, Research as a Social Activity, and Personal Relevance. The findings suggest that motivation to do research is associated with increasing internalization of intrinsic motivators; in particular those associated with competence (Confidence) and relatedness (Clinical Relevance, Research as a Social Activity).ConclusionsSDT is useful for understanding the motivation of individuals and how curriculum can be designed to optimise motivation. Study findings suggest that well supported compulsory research activities that incorporate group learning and elements of choice may promote motivation to do research, and potentially, careers in research, even in a research naive student body.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12909-015-0379-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Academic Guidance in Medical Student Research: How Well Do Supervisors and Students Understand the Ethics of Human Research?

“…Students are more likely to obtain a satisfying research experience if their research mentors or supervisors are suitably qualified and experienced (Rosenkranz et al 2015). Mentor/supervisor experience is essential in guiding students in developing appropriate research questions, designing research methodology, and analysing and interpreting study results, while also advising and directing students in the ethical conduct of research.…”

“…However, many academic staff, clinician researchers, and research mentors have not received formal training in human research ethics (Babl and Sharwood 2008), which may result in poor advice to students in research activities such as recruitment, access to medical records, and maintaining privacy. Undertaking 'bad science' can negatively impact on the development of students' research integrity, create a negative opinion of ethics review committees, or result in unpublishable research findings (Rosenkranz et al 2015).…”

“…While 40% of students have completed at least one year of university, a minority (<10%) are graduates from other courses, or have conducted research (<10%) prior to starting medical school. During the fourth year of the course, all students undertake a community-based research project in groups, supervised by an academic or conjoint, with formal instruction in research methods provided by dedicated teaching staff (Rosenkranz et al 2015). Groups develop a research question and project plan, apply for ethical approval, collect and analyse data, and complete a report in the style of a journal publication, with many going on to present their research at academic conferences.…”

“…Medical students may conduct research as an elective experience, but there are now greater expectations for research to be a compulsory component of medical programs (Riley 2009, Rosenkranz et al 2015, particularly as there are few opportunities or expectations for graduates to do research in the first few years of graduate practice and clinical training (Health Workforce Australia 2012). This is reflected in the emergence of graduate programs with the aim of producing clinician scientists (Dannefer et al 2014), and recent revisions of accreditation criteria for medical schools.…”

Using an Extracurricular Honors Program to Engage Future Physicians Into Scientific Research in Early Stages of Medical Training

“…A decline in interest for research among physicians in Canada, the USA, and Europe has been documented [2]. How physicians can be directed towards a scientific career is still a topic of debate, although early engagement of medical students in research is mentioned as a possible solution [2,6,7,[15][16][17][18]. Engaging students in research in early stages of medical education could help to identify a possible scientific career path for these future physicians, as it could trigger enthusiasm and motivation for doing research [4].…”