title: A survey on the professional staff of medical education research units in China.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Professional staff engaged in medical education research was important for enhancing the quality of medical education.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To look at the current condition of professional staff in medical education research units in China.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 46 related-to-insiders in 46 medical schools completed a questionnaire including the affiliation and mission and activities of the units, and the number and characteristics of the professional staff.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 46 schools, 24 (52.2%) had independent medical education research units. Of the 170 staff in the 24 units (mean = 7.1), 43.5% achieved Bachelor's degree or less and 61.8% had senior-level title, 27.6% middle-level title, and 10.6% junior-level title. Of the 24 units, 4.2% did not have any full-time professional staff, 16.7% had 1-2 full-time professional staff, 4.1% did not have any professional staff achieved Master's degree and above, and 87.5% cited educational research, 70.8% program evaluation, 58.3% sponsoring journals 54.2% teaching, 45.8% teacher evaluation, 41.7% faculty development, and 33.3% student evaluation in their mission and activities statements.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The professional staff in medical education research units were insufficient in China. The composition of their education and professional title should be improved. The mission of the units was too narrow.
authors.affiliation: Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Li-Juan
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Mi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Wei-Can
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Guo-En
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Qu
authors.forename: Yue
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D003625:Data Collection; D004501:Education, Medical; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research; D012108:Research Personnel / Q000145:classification / Q000600:supply & distribution; D000078329:Workforce