An exploration of profile, perceptions, barriers, and predictors of research engagement among resident doctors

Abstract

Purpose/Aims: This research aimed to study the profile, perceptions, barriers, and predictors of Nigerian resident doctors’ level of engagement in scientific research. Methods: This study was a descriptive cross-sectional quantitative survey of 438 resident doctors in Nigeria. This study forms a part of the big CHARTING Study, the protocol of which was published in “Nigeria Journal of Medicine 2019;28:198-205.” Results: Three hundred and eighteen (72.8%) respondents were male and 119 (27.2%) were female. There were 229 (52.4%) registrars and 208 (47.6%) senior registrars, while residents in surgical versus nonsurgical specialties were 190 (44.5%) and 237 (55.5%), respectively. Three hundred and sixty-eight (85%) respondents had participated previously in research; 67 (15.6%) and 72 (16.6%) had their papers published in local or international journals, respectively; and only 46 (10.6%) had held first authorship positions in peer-reviewed journal publications. The significant barriers to research identified among them included lack of funding, lack of free time, inadequate training/knowledge on research methodology, and the onerous nature of clinical research. The independent predictor of previous engagement with research was years on current job (P = 0.007). This was similar to finding for the first authorship of a peer-reviewed article among the respondents (P = 0.017). Conclusion: This study concludes that publication and grantsmanship rates were very low among the surveyed resident doctors, despite their high rate of engagement in research projects. There is a need for increased research capacity building among resident doctors in Nigeria.

Exploring the Landscape: Perspective on Medical Research among Resident Doctors in a Public and Private Tertiary Hospital in Nigeria

“…As shown in Fig. 5 2 reported similarly low publication rates of 15.6% and 16.6% in local and international journals, respectively. These pivotal research-related activities serve as crucial benchmarks for evaluating research outputs and, by extension, the scholarly contributions of resident doctors.…”

“…Research participation is an essential aspect of their training and is required by the West African College of Physicians/Surgeons and the National Postgraduate Medical College as a partial ful lment for the attainment of fellowship awards. 1,2 The rationale behind the aforementioned requirements is to enhance the training outcomes of residents during the period of their residency program. 3 Nevertheless, the current level of participation by resident doctors in Nigeria in research activities remains notably limited.…”

“…3 Nevertheless, the current level of participation by resident doctors in Nigeria in research activities remains notably limited. 2 This raises concerns about their insu cient engagement beyond the curriculum. Knowledge, attitudes, practices, and barriers related to medical research among resident doctors in tertiary hospitals are crucial factors that can signi cantly impact the progress and success of medical research.…”

“…Most similar studies have been conducted predominantly in Europe and Asia. 4,[7][8][9] However, separate African studies conducted by Igbokwe et al 2 and Morges et al 10 noted that the publication rates were very low despite positive attitudes towards research. This was attributed to lack of funding and time, poor infrastructure, belief about research, and inadequate research knowledge and methodology.…”

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

“…Adebayo's Nigerian 2022 study showed a publication rate of only 33%, with their residents facing similar hurdles. Obuku's systematic review revealed a publication rate of postgraduate students' in LMICs of 7%, with citation rate of 17% [8,12]. Even when publication rates were higher in higher income settings, the obstacles remained the same: lack of time, lack of adequate faculty support or mentorship, insu cient research skills training and poor academic writing skills [2,10,[12][13][14][15][16][17].…”