title: Clinical Research Recession: Training Needs Perception Among Medical Students.
abstract: Clinical research is an integrated part of medical education. There is a noticeable decrease in the number of physician-scientists in developing countries, which is reflected by a decrease in research output and publications from these countries. We conducted a survey aiming to identify the gaps in clinical research training from the perspective of medical students. The results can be used to customize future clinical research trainings. The survey tool was divided into six modules which represent the cornerstones of clinical research based on similar surveys done for the same purpose. For each module, questions covered the perceived knowledge of its aspects and how much relevant the responder thought it was to clinical research. Five hundred one candidates have filled the survey. Evidence-based medicine (EBM) had the highest knowledge score of 2.20/4, while "clinical trials execution" knowledge got the lowest score of 1.64/4. Responders perceived EBM as the most relevant aspect of clinical research (3.39/4), while research ethics received the lowest score 3.18/4. "Clinical trials execution" had the largest gap of a difference calculated as 1.60, while EBM had the lowest gap of 1.20. More attention must be paid to clinical research training for medical students in developing countries. These trainings have to be customized to focus on clinical trial execution, research methodology, and biostatistics. In parallel, awareness campaigns targeted toward the medical community emphasizing the importance of the ethics as an aspect of clinical research should be established.
authors: Department of Research, Children Cancer Hospital Egypt, 1 Seket Al-Emam Street - El-Madbah El-Kadeem Yard - El-Saida Zeinab, 57357, Cairo, Egypt. ahmadsfar@gmail.com.|Department of Ophthalmology, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt. ahmadsfar@gmail.com.|Department of Ophthalmology , Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Berlin, Germany. ahmadsfar@gmail.com.
authors: Ahmad S
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0930-4583
authors: AS
authors: Alfaar
authors: Department of Research, Children Cancer Hospital Egypt, 1 Seket Al-Emam Street - El-Madbah El-Kadeem Yard - El-Saida Zeinab, 57357, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Waleed M
authors: WM
authors: Hassan
authors: Department of Research, Children Cancer Hospital Egypt, 1 Seket Al-Emam Street - El-Madbah El-Kadeem Yard - El-Saida Zeinab, 57357, Cairo, Egypt.
authors: Mohamed S
authors: MS
authors: Bakry
authors: Department of Research, Children Cancer Hospital Egypt, 1 Seket Al-Emam Street - El-Madbah El-Kadeem Yard - El-Saida Zeinab, 57357, Cairo, Egypt.|National Liver Institute, Menoufiya University, Shibin Al Kawm, Egypt.
authors: Sameera
authors: S
authors: Ezzat
mesh_terms: D002985:Clinical Protocols; D003906:Developing Countries; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods; D004534:Egypt; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine / Q000193:education*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Clinical research; Developing country; Students’ perception; Training needs