Publication: Fostering research skills in undergraduate medical students through Mentored Student Projects: Example from an Indian medical school
Date
2010
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Background
Healthcare decision-making is largely reliant on evidence–based medicine; building
skills in scientific reasoning and thinking among medical students becomes an important
part of medical education. Medical students in India have no formal path to becoming
physicians, scientists or academicians.
Objectives
This study examines students’ perceptions regarding research skills improvement after
participating in the Mentored Student Project programme at Melaka Manipal Medical
College, Manipal Campus, India. Additionally, this paper describes the initiatives taken
for the continual improvement of the Mentored Student Project programme based on
faculty and student perspectives.
Methods
At Melaka Manipal Medical College, Mentored Student Project was implemented in
the curriculum during second year of Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery
programme with the intention of developing research skills essential to the career
development of medical students. The study design was cross-sectional. To inculcate
the spirit of team work students were grouped (n=3 to 5) and each group was asked to
select a research project. The students’ research projects were guided by their mentors.
A questionnaire (Likert’s five point scale) on students’ perceptions regarding
improvement in research skills after undertaking projects and guidance received
from the mentor was administered to medical students after they had completed
their Mentored Student Project . The responses of students were summarised using
percentages. The median grade with inter-quartile range was reported for each item in
the questionnaire. The median grade for all the items related to perceptions regarding
improvement in research skills was 4 which reflected that the majority of the students
felt that Mentored Student Project had improved their research skills. The problems
encountered by the students during Mentored Student Project were related to time
management for the Mentored Student Project and mentors.
Results
This study shows that students acknowledged that their research skills were improved
after participating in the Mentored Student Project programme.
Conclusions
The Mentored Student Project programme was successful in fostering positive attitudes
among medical students towards scientific research. The present study also provides
scope for further improvement of the Mentored Student Project programme based on
students’ and faculty perspectives.
Key Words
curriculum, medical students, mentored student projects, methodology, research skills
Description
1Department of Pharmacology, 2Department of Physiology, 4Department of Pathology, Melaka Manipal Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India.
3Department of Pharmacology, 5Department of Community Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal University, Manipal, India.