Short-term outcomes of a program developed to inculcate research essentials in undergraduate medical students

Abstract

Background:Participation in research during undergraduate studies may increase students’ interest in research and inculcate research essentials in them.Aims:The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the mentored student project (MSP) program.Settings and Design:In the MSP program, students in groups (n = 3 to 5) undertook a research project, wrote a scholarly report, and presented the work as a poster presentation with the help of a faculty mentor. To begin with, the logic model of the program was developed to identify short-term outcomes of the program on students, mentors, and the institution. A quasi-experimental design was used to measure the outcomes.Materials and Methods:A mixed method evaluation was done using a newly-developed questionnaire to assess the impact of the MSP on students’ attitude, a multiple-choice question (MCQs) test to find out the impact on students’ knowledge and grading of students’ project reports and posters along with a survey to check the impact on skills. Students’ satisfaction regarding the program and mentors’ perceptions were collected using questionnaires. Evidence for validity was collected for all the instruments used for the evaluation.Statistical Analysis:Non-parametric tests were used to analyze data. Based on the scores, project reports and posters were graded into A (>70% marks), B (60-69% marks), and C (<59% marks) categories. The number of MSPs that resulted in publications, conference presentation and departmental collaborations were taken as impact on the institution.Results:Students’ response rate was 91.5%. The students’ attitudes regarding research changed positively (P = 0.036) and score in the MCQ test improved (P < 0.001) after undertaking MSP. Majority of project reports and posters were of grade A category. The majority of the items related to skills gained and satisfaction had a median score of 4. The MSPs resulted in inter-departmental and inter-institutional collaborations, 14 publications and 15 conference presentations. An area for improvement noted was to have the MSP implemented in the curriculum without increasing students’ overall workload and stress.Conclusion:The study identified strengths and weaknesses of the MSP program. Our model of undergraduate research project may be incorporated in undergraduate medical programs to foster positive attitude and knowledge base about scientific research and to instil research skills among students.

The scientific term paper at the Charité: a project report on concept, implementation, and students' evaluation and learning

“…These results concur with results published on the motivation to engage in scientific research among students in the 5th year of study from both precursor curricula [34]. Other studies show comparable results [35] and indicate that other didactic concepts similar to the Charité scientific term paper module in the MCM promote a positive attitude among students towards research generally and motivate them to conduct further scientific research [36][, [37]. This finding is consistent with observations from a national survey of medical students by Ratte et al, in which the majority of participants felt that scientific competencies were highly important for their subsequent medical activity and were in favour of the implementation of a project module or scientific term paper in medical education [38].…”

The Enduring Value of Research in Medical Education

“…31 Furthermore, students who are involved in structured training programs, such as the National Institute of Health (NIH)-sponsored Medical Student Research Fellowship programs (MSRFs), or many other school-based or peer-based programs have shown an increased appeal for academic medicine and have greater involvement in further research projects after the experience. 16,18,33,38,[50][51][52][53] This supports the idea that an early introduction to research fosters future career decisio ns. 16,[27][28][29]33,36,43,46,49,[54][55][56] In addition to influencing the decision-making process, the experience and publications can help in advancing a medical career and facilitate a successful transition into the highly competitive field of academic medicine.…”

“…Consequently, the ideal moment to grasp the fundamentals of EBM and research methodology occurs during medical school, and some even advocate for initiation during undergraduate studies. 18 Overwhelmed by curricular requirements, sleep deprivation, and financial concerns, students may perceive initiatives toward understanding research methodology and applying findings to clinical care as an additional stressor to their training. Therefore, students have reported lack of interest towards research, misconceptions of what research entails, or the perception that their time invested will not be reflected by the appropriate recognition.…”

“…[19][20][21][22][23] Although epidemiology and biostatistics are viewed as relevant knowledge, they lose importance as students progress through medical school, and disagreement on having research as part of their curriculum has been reported. 18,19,24 Furthermore, student involvement in research varies widely among institutions and countries. The proportion of students from a given medical school who participate in research has been reported as 25% in New Zealand, 57% in Canada, and 54.6% with a 35% publication rate in Colombia (personal communication, Program of Medicine and Surgery, Universidad del Valle, September 26, 2013).…”

Why did Medical Graduates Appreciate Mentored Student Project? Perspectives of Two Theories

“…Medical doctors need to develop in professionalism in addition to become competent in clinical skills [1]. Therefore, educators in Melaka Manipal Medical College have inculcated Personal and Professional Development (PPD) projects into medical curriculums [2,3]. The projects were in the form of Role Plays/Narratives/Creative Writing [2] and Mentored Student Project (MSP) [3].…”