Attitudes toward and involvement in medical research: A survey of 8-year-program undergraduates in China

Abstract

Background: The implementation and expansion of an 8-year program is among the most important reforms in medical education in China within the past 10 years. In an effort to cultivate world-class medical professionals, there has been a significant movement toward engaging 8-year-program students in scientific research within the medical school curriculum. However, attitudes of these students toward and their involvement in undergraduate medical research have not been adequately addressed. This study aims to assess attitudes toward and participation in medical research of 8-year-program undergraduates in China. Methods: A cross-sectional survey using an anonymous, self-report questionnaire was designed and implemented with 8-year-program students in their third to eighth years at the Xiangya School of Medicine at Central South University between March and April 2012. Results: Among the 583 students targeted in our study, 415 responded, yielding an overall response rate of 71 %. Though most of the respondents had generally positive attitudes toward undergraduate medical research, only 47 % of them had been involved in research activities by the time of our survey. The principal barriers to research participation were inadequate experimental facilities and funding, high pressure to study, ineffective management structure, and limited availability of research supervisors. Conclusions: The results of our study outline current attitudes toward and involvement in research of 8-year-program medical students in China. Though the necessity and importance of undergraduate medical research have been recognized, there is still much work needed to increase the participation of students in research and to improve the quality of research training. © Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2014.