Skills, perception on barriers, and motivation in conducting research in Thai medical students

Abstract

Background: Our medical school has actively encouraged medical students to engage in research. This study aimed to survey students’ perceptions of their research-specific and transferable skills (e.g., teamwork, communication skills), perceived barriers to conducting research, and motivations for participating. Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted at the Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Thailand. Data were collected using a validated self-report 5-point Likert scale survey that assessed the aforementioned aspects. The survey questions underwent formal translation and were subsequently evaluated for inter-rater agreement, reliability, and validity. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to identify associations between various research skills and factors of interest. Results: A total of 538 responses were collected, representing a response rate of 44%. Of these respondents, 66.5% were medical students in the pre-clinical years, and 50% were female. Additionally, 43% of the students reported prior involvement in research processes, such as proposal writing, data collection, and manuscript publication. Students expressed the highest confidence in research-specific skills like hypothesis generation and data collection while demonstrating the least confidence in biostatistical analyses. Regarding transferable skills, teamwork and working independently received the highest scores, whereas information evaluation received the lowest. The primary reported barrier to conducting research was a lack of interest. Students identified motivations for research, including the perception that “Doing research is useful for my resume,” which aligns with an extrinsic motivation domain. Higher academic years in medical school (OR 1.28 [95% CI: 1.07, 1.53], P =.03) and prior research experience in writing proposals (OR 1.82 [95% CI: 1.57, 3.18], P =.006) were significantly associated with higher overall transferable skills. Furthermore, higher academic years (OR 1.18 [95% CI: 1.05, 1.35], P =.008) and prior research experience were also significantly associated with a higher perception of barriers in conducting research (OR 0.66 [95% CI: 0.45, 0.96], P =.03). Finally, prior experience in proposal writing was associated with higher scores in students’ intrinsic motivation (OR 1.27 [95% CI: 1.08, 2.23], P =.02). Conclusions: Encouragement should be given to guidance on biostatistical analyses, which can foster research-specific skills and enhance information evaluation for transferable skills. Additionally, interventions aimed at stimulating interest in research among medical students may prove beneficial. Early research involvement, such as proposal writing, has the potential to improve transferable skills, reduce perceived barriers, and enhance intrinsic motivation for conducting research.