MEDICAL AND DENTAL RESEARCH AT UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL: EVALUATION OF OPPORTUNITIES AND BARRIERS

Medical and Dental Research at Under Graduate Level

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate available opportunities and highlight the barriers faced by undergraduate medical and dental students of Rawalpindi and Islamabad while conducting a research study.
Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study.
Place and Duration of Study: This study was conducted in 6 recognized medical and dental colleges of Rawalpindi and Islamabad in 5 months from July to November 2009.
Methodology: A pre-tested, structured questionnaire was used as data collection instrument. The questionnaire was self-administered to 300 medical and dental students. Opportunities and barriers to undergraduate research were recorded as mean values and percentages.
Results: A total of 86.2% of the students acknowledged that there is a need of research at undergraduate level. Forty two point nine percent claimed that they know how to plan, conduct a study and write a research article. Thirty six point four percent of the participants reported the presence of research promoting activities in their institutes, whereas a large number of students reported barriers such as lack of encouragement by faculty (58.1% of participants) and absence of a supporting attitude of the college administration (72.9% of participants). The advertisement of research opportunities was mainly through faculty members/friends/colleagues and the percentage value for availability of adequate funds for research was 16.1%.
Conclusions: Majority of undergraduate medical students in the Rawalpindi / Islamabad region acknowledged that they do not have satisfactory knowledge about planning, conducting and writing a research study and they have to face more obstacles in comparison to limited opportunities while conducting a research study. The situation for dental students is even worse.