Contemporary global perspectives of medical students on research during undergraduate medical education: a systematic literature review

Abstract

Background: The need for increased expertise in evidence-based medicine and concerns about the decreasing numbers of physician-scientists have underscored the need for promoting and encouraging research in medical education. The critical shortage of physician-scientists has assumed a dimension demanding a coordinated global response. This systematic review examined the perceptions of medical students regarding research during undergraduate medical school from a global perspective. Methods: Articles for this review were searched using PubMed, SCOPUS and Cochrane. Studies published within the last 10 years of the start date of the study that met specified criteria were included. Identified articles were initially screened by title as well as keywords and their abstracts were further screened to determine relevance. Full-text of screened articles were read for validation prior to inclusion. Results: A total of 26 articles from the literature met the set criteria for final inclusion. Contents of the abstracts and corresponding full-text articles were analyzed for themes on the research perspectives of medical students. The themes derived comprised: research interest, physician-scientist decline and shortage, responses to physician-scientist shortage, curriculum issues, skills (motivation and self-efficacy), research needs, socioeconomic and cultural issues, and barriers. Conclusion: Despite the wide variations in medical education systems worldwide, the perspectives of medical students on research in undergraduate medical education shared many common themes. Globally, medical students underscored the necessity and importance of research in medical education as reflected by many students reporting positive attitudes and interest in research endeavors. Moreover, a worldwide consensus emerged regarding the decline in the numbers of physician-scientists and the necessity for a reversal of that trend. Various barriers to research engagement and participation were highlighted.

Pre-Existing Social Conditions: A Call to Prevent the Perpetuation of Gender Inequalities in Research Production during COVID-19

“…The career of a physician-scientist is unfortunately a declining population globally, with many medical education programs attempting to address this through compulsory research courses. [36][37][38] Therefore, since the onset of this pandemic, the decline of published research by female medical students threatens women's careers. 39 As a society, we are at risk of reversing the diligent work achieved to improve gender equality in the fields of science and medicine and are at a crucial point where promoting and providing opportunities for the development of women physician-scientists is necessary to avoid this risk.…”

How has the COVID-19 pandemic improved evidence-based-medicine awareness among undergraduate medical students?

“…Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is a key component of current medical practice, as it induces effective decision-making regarding patients care, based on the best available evidence [1]. However, delivering EBM in the undergraduate curriculum is a real challenge, especially in settings where undergraduate medical education is mainly based on textbooks-like information that is usually presented to students as solid and verified knowledge with less room to doubt and uncertainty.…”

Expectancy-Value-Cost motivational theory to explore final year medical students’ research intentions and past research experience: a multicentre cross-sectional questionnaire study

“…Over the past decades, academics recurrently signal the physician-scientist as an endangered species. [1][2][3][4] Physician-scientists are defined broadly as "those with MD degrees (alone or combined with other advanced degrees) who devote a substantive percent of their professional effort to research". 2 They either had a certain experience in clinical practice before devoting themselves primarily to research, or are doing both at the same time, and can thus be considered to be at the intersection of care and research.…”