SEARCHING THE RESEARCH OR RE-SEARCHING THE SEARCH: WHERE TO START FROM? A POST-GRADUATE MEDICAL TRAINEES PERSPECTIVE FROM RAWALPINDI/ISLAMABAD

Searching the Research or Re-Searching the Search

Abstract

Objective: To explore the post-graduate medical trainees perceptions and practices towards research and to investigate potential barriers to perform research. 

Study Design: Cross sectional descriptive study.

Place and Duration of Study: Military hospital, Combined Military hospital, Rawalpindi and Pakistan institute of medical sciences Islamabad, from Jan 2013-Dec 2013.

Material and Methods:  A pretested, structured and validated questionnaire was used to collect data from 114 final year post-graduate medical trainees (PGMTs). SPSS version 17 was used for descriptive data analysis.

Results: One hundred and fourteen (n=114) final year post-graduate medical trainees (PGMTs) of fellowship program of College of Physician and Surgeons of Pakistan gave their written consent to participate in this study. Among them 68 (59.6%) were males while 46 (40.3%) were female. One hundred and twelve (98.2%) trainees agreed that research is an important and healthy activity and have a great impact on their future carriers. 63 (55.2%) PGMTs had worked as data collector in various studies conducted at their institutions while only 21(18.4%) PGMTs had published their manuscript. Obstacles that prevented the PGMTs from conducting research included: lack of professional supervisors: 103 (90.3%), poor research training: 98 (86.0%), and lack of resources: 84 (73.6%).

Conclusion: Although the majority of the PG trainees believe that research is important in medical field, only about 55.2% of them have participated in the research activities other than mandatory dissertation during their training. Measures should be taken at postgraduate level to involve and support the PGMTs in health research with formal training programs and good mentorship.