Effectiveness of a responsible conduct of research course: a preliminary study.
Training in the responsible conduct of research (RCR) is required for many research trainees nationwide, but little is known about its effectiveness. For a preliminary assessment of the effectiveness of a short-term course in RCR, medical students participating in an NIH-funded summer research program at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) were surveyed using an instrument developed through focus group discussions. In the summer of 2003, surveys were administered before and after a short-term RCR course, as well as to alumni of the courses given in the summers of 2002 and 2001. Survey responses were analyzed in the areas of knowledge, ethical decision-making skills, attitudes about responsible conduct of research, and frequency of discussions about RCR outside of class. The only statistically significant improvement associated with the course was an increase in knowledge, while there was a non-significant tendency toward improvements in ethical decision-making skills and attitudes about the importance of RCR training. The nominal impact of a short-term training course should not be surprising, but it does raise the possibility that other options for delivering information only, such as an Internet-based tutorial, might be considered as comparable alternatives when longer courses are not possible.
Powell
Sean T
ST
Research Ethics Program, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0612, USA.
Allison
Matthew A
MA
Kalichman
Michael W
MW
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002140:California; D032984:Ethics, Research / Q000193:education*; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013337:Students, Medical
Sci Eng Ethics. 1998 Oct;4(4):487-98
11658057
Acad Med. 2007 Sep;82(9):846-52
17726389
Sci Eng Ethics. 1996 Jan;2(1):89-114
11657788
Acad Med. 1992 Nov;67(11):769-75
1418260
Sci Eng Ethics. 2006 Jul;12(3):571-82
16909159
J Empir Res Hum Res Ethics. 2006 Mar;1(1):43-50
16810336