An African Perspective on Publication of Postgraduate Residents’ Dissertation: A qualitative study exploring residents’ research experiences, barriers to publication and strategies to improve publication rates from Kenyan medical residents

Abstract

Background: Postgraduate medical residents in Kenya must complete and submit a research dissertation as part of their Master of Medicine studies. However, the rate of subsequent publication of this research is lower than the publication rate in higher income settings, denying Kenyans the potential benefit of population-specific data. This study was carried out to explore residents’ research experiences and reasons for the low publication rate and to identify strategies to improve the publication rate of residents’ research in low-income settings. Methods: In-depth interviews of 8 faculty and academic staff and 18 former residents were conducted to investigate their experiences of conducting, supervising and publishing research. Strategies to improve to improve publications rates were explored. Results: The former residents described difficult research journeys – from concept development to final submission of dissertation – which discouraged them from seeking publication. Many faculty and staff lacked time or sufficient expertise to successfully guide residents to publication. Departmental research culture, faculty expertise as supervisors and prioritisation of clinical work over research and lack of dedicated research time impacted both residents’ and faculty attitudes to research. Strategies to improve publication rates focused on developing faculty research expertise, more protected research time, and a more structured approach to teaching research methodology, including academic writing skills. Conclusions: Residents in low middle income countries such as Kenya encounter systemic and personal challenges to successful publication of research. The ease or difficulty of a resident’s research journey influences their attitudes to subsequent publication. Strategies to improve publication rates can improve the dissemination of relevant research data in such settings.