Background: Some important research questions in medical education and health services research need 'mixed methods research' ( particularly synthesizing quantitative and qualitative findings). The approach is not new, but should be more explicitly reported. Aim: The broad search question here, of a disjointed literature, was thus: What is mixed methods research -how should it relate to medical education research?, focused on explicit acknowledgement of 'mixing'. Methods: Literature searching focused on Web of Knowledge supplemented by other databases across disciplines. Findings: Five main messages emerged:-Thinking quantitative and qualitative, not quantitative versus qualitative -Appreciating that mixed methods research blends different knowledge claims, enquiry strategies, and methods -Using a 'horses for courses' [whatever works] approach to the question, and clarifying the mix -Appreciating how medical education research competes with the 'evidence-based' movement, health services research, and the 'RCT' -Being more explicit about the role of mixed methods in medical education research, and the required expertise Conclusion: Mixed methods research is valuable, yet the literature relevant to medical education is fragmented and poorly indexed. The required time, effort, expertise, and techniques deserve better recognition. More write-ups should explicitly discuss the 'mixing' ( particularly of findings), rather than report separate components.