Medical students' perceptions towards research at a Sudanese University.
BACKGROUND
Inadequately designed curricula and barriers to research have not enabled students to realize the crucial importance of research to clinical practice. Several studies have reported variable results with regards to research training. The aim of this survey was to evaluate research training at a university in Sudan which had provided research training for 17 years.


METHODS
A university-based survey design, using a self-administered questionnaire, was conducted among final year medical students who completed 2 years of research training. Descriptive frequency analysis and bivariate analysis were performed using IBM SPSS version 20.


RESULTS
The response rate was 76 %. Ninety-five (91.3 %) perceived research important to medicine and 62 (59.6 %) perceived that it should be a requirement for partial fulfillment of the MBBS degree. Elevation of professional standing as a clinician was the prime reason for pursuing a career in research (18/68.2 %). Main reasons for not pursuing a career in research was research being time consuming (49/59.8 %) and focusing on clinical service being more important than clinical research (48/58.5 %). Fifty-five (56.1 %) believe that their supervisor gave them a positive attitude to research. Principle barriers to student research were lack of funding (75/72.1 %), insufficient time (71/68.3 %) and the demands of the curriculum (70/67.3 %). No significant differences were detected between gender and perceptions towards research.


CONCLUSIONS
The curriculum should be revised to address the gaps in research training. A small group learning model should be adopted to train students in research and provide supervision to group research projects. This model would improve academic learning, skills acquisition, encourage student interest in research, reduce barriers to student research and make better use of limited resources.
Graduate College, University of Medical Sciences and Technology, Khartoum, Sudan. tarikod@gmail.com.
Tarig
T
Osman
Attitudes; Medical students; Research; Sudan
J Gen Intern Med. 2005 Feb;20(2):155-9
15836549
Acad Med. 1997 Jul;72(7):589-94
9236468
JAMA. 1992 Mar 11;267(10):1372-6
1740860
BMC Med Educ. 2009 Jul 17;9:46
19615071
BMC Med Educ. 2009 Nov 16;9:68
19917109
Acad Med. 1990 Aug;65(8):530-3
2383337
Dev World Bioeth. 2004 Dec;4(2):154-9
15516214
Heart Dis. 2001 May-Jun;3(3):140-4
11975783
Perspect Clin Res. 2012 Apr;3(2):57-61
22701821
Br J Gen Pract. 2000 May;50(454):387-9
10897537
J Family Med Prim Care. 2014 Jan;3(1):22-4
24791231
Saudi Pharm J. 2014 Apr;22(2):113-7
24648822
BMC Med Educ. 2006 Nov 02;6:54
17081286
J Investig Med. 2010 Feb;58(2):282-6
20130460
Psychol Sci Public Interest. 2005 Oct;6(2):31-55
26158478
Asia Pac Fam Med. 2015 Feb 11;14(1):1
25705121
Med Educ. 2005 Feb;39(2):237
15679693
Med Hist. 1975 Jul;19(3):271-85
1095866
Med J Aust. 2005 Dec 5-19;183(11-12):606-11
16336146
BMC Med Educ. 2010 Jan 22;10:4
20096112
BMC Fam Pract. 2004 Dec 21;5(1):31
15613246
Acad Med. 2001 May;76(5):477
11346527
Med Educ Online. 2010 Sep 10;15:null
20844608