Exploring the Relationship between Individual Attributes of Undergraduate Medical Students and their Engagement into Research: A Cross-sectional and Observational Study
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Aim and background: Integrating research with undergraduate medical education can greatly enhance the educational experience.Early involvement in research projects allows students to gain a profound understanding of scientific concepts, develop key research skills, and become inspired as future physician-scientists. Prior studies have identified factors such as gender, parental education, and previous research experience as influential in undergraduate research participation.Nonetheless, a deeper understanding of these factors was essential for developing effective strategies to foster a research-oriented culture within medical education.This research sought to explore the connection between personal attributes, including gender, parental education, previous research experience, and academic performance, and students' interest in research.By analyzing these elements, the study aimed to pinpoint strategies to boost research participation among medical undergraduates and nurture a new wave of biomedical researchers.Materials and methods: The observational study was carried out over 3 years at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College and School of Health Professionals Education and Research, Datta Meghe Institute of Medical Sciences (Deemed University), Sawangi (Meghe), Wardha.It included all MBBS Phase-I students who consented to participate.A validated 10-item questionnaire containing items pertaining to the attributes under study, was given to 189 out of 200 students to evaluate their interest in research.Data were analyzed for evaluating the relationship between these characteristics and research interest was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests.Results: The study discovered that overall, 55.02% of students showed an interest in research.Gender did not significantly influence research interest of students (χ² = 0.873, p = 0.350).Students whose parents held postgraduate degrees were more inclined toward research (59.62%) compared with those with parents having undergraduate degrees (40.36%) (χ² = 4.22, p < 0.039).Students with prior research experience were more interested in research (92.85%) than those without such experience (52%) (χ² = 7.17, p < 0.005).With those scoring high on the NEET exam (≥360) were more likely to be interested (87.50%) compared with those with lower scores (12.5%) interest (χ² = 68.88,p < 0.001). Conclusion:The study emphasized the role of academic achievement and prior research experience in fostering research interest.Parental education also significantly impacted students' propensity toward research.The findings suggest gender was not a major determinant in research interest when equal opportunities are provided.Understanding these influencing factors can help institutions design specific strategies and provide tailormade mentoring to the students having inclination toward research.This will cultivate a research-friendly environment and encourage students to pursue research paths, creating a positive impact on the society.
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4413869627