title: Strategy to increase research in Latin America: project on education in research by AOSpine Latin America.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The emancipatory nature of education requires research as its fundamental base, because physicians can only improve their skills and knowledge through enquiry. The number and quality of scientific publications by Latin-American spine surgeons found in the Medline database was low between 2000 and 2011. Nevertheless, the research Bank Survey of AOSpine Latin America (AOSLA) members showed that 96% of responders were very interested and motivated to perform scientific research.
  
  
  METHODS
  The research officer of AOSLA together with the Country Council and the AOSpine Research Commission established a competency-based curriculum to improve understanding of what is necessary to produce research and the best methods to achieve this goal. The research curriculum was divided into four main components: (1) research educational plan, (2) performing research, (3) technical and professional support and (4) assessment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The competences, learning outcomes and a syllabus on knowledge in research were developed to enable the participants to understand and perform investigations effectively. The eLearning module was designed to improve the competences to access, evaluate and use scientific information available in the main databases efficiently. Research courses were given as an isolated activity four times in Brazil and Mexico and as precourse activities six times in Brazil, Mexico and Peru. The result was an increased number of articles published and works presented at congresses.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The project of education in research can be effectively disseminated and applied across regions, across students and across specialties.
authors.affiliation: Medical School, University of Caxias do Sul, Rua General Arcy da Rocha Nóbrega, 401/602, Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil, asdrubalmd@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Asdrubal
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Falavigna
authors.forename: Délio Eulálio
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Martins Filho
authors.forename: José María Jiménez
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: Juan Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Guyot
authors.forename: Alvaro Silva
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Gonzáles
authors.forename: Daniel K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Riew
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D003226:Congresses as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007843:Latin America; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures; D009985:Orthopedics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010506:Periodicals as Topic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013131:Spine / Q000601:surgery