Perceptions and Experiences of Pursuing Research Among Medical Students in Problem-Based Learning Curriculum: A Cross-Sectional Study from Qatar

Al-Subai, Reem R; Kaleem, Muhammad Z; Hassanien, Doaa; Eldestawy, Meral; Hamwi, Mahmoud N; Elsayed, Engy; Al-Kawari, Amal S; Farooqi, Habib H; Daher-Nashif, Suhad

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Early introduction to research prepares medical students for the practice of evidence-based medicine. Few studies have examined the experiences of research among medical students in the Arab region. This study assesses medical students’ experiences in pursuing research at the national College of Medicine (CMED) in the state of Qatar.

METHODS
This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire distributed through Google Forms. The inclusion criteria called for students over 18 years old enrolled in the college in Years 2 to 6 (pre-clinical and clinical phases) during the spring semester of 2022. The questionnaire included 5 sections with multiple-choice questions and 5-point Likert-scale questions. The questionnaire was validated using esperts review and by piloting it on 10% of the eligible students. STATA 17.0 was used to perform the statistical analysis, which involved a logistic regression and Mann–Whitney U test.

RESULTS
The study had 179 student participants (over half of the eligible group). Half were in the preclinical phase, and half were in the clinical phase. Approximately half had published at least 1 paper. For voluntary research, the main motivators were passion and positive past experiences, while the main demoralizer was inadequate time. For mandatory medical-student research, supervisor help was the main facilitator, and an academic load leaving insufficient time for research was the main barrier. The factors positively influencing voluntary research participation were being older, being male, studying in a more advanced program phase, and having a lower score for negative attitudes toward research. The main limitation of the study was the inclusion of only 1 medical school with 1 type of curriculum.

CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that better research experience can be ensured by providing space, time, and proper academic and moral support to students. The authors believe that doing so will indirectly positively affect the future translation of skills in evidence-based medicine into clinical practice.

Citation

Al-Subai, R. R., Kaleem, M. Z., Hassanien, D., Eldestawy, M., Hamwi, M. N., Elsayed, E., Al-Kawari, A. S., Farooqi, H. H., & Daher-Nashif, S. (in press). Perceptions and Experiences of Pursuing Research Among Medical Students in Problem-Based Learning Curriculum: A Cross-Sectional Study from Qatar. Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development, 11, Article 23821205241227327. https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205241227327

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 4, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Jan 23, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jan 29, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 29, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development
• Electronic ISSN: 2382-1205
• Publisher: Libertas Academica
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 11
• Article Number: 23821205241227327
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/23821205241227327
• Keywords: problem-based learning curriculum, undergraduate, medical education, motivators, pursuing research
• Public URL: https://keele-repository.worktribe.com/output/715703