Perceptions, barriers, and practices of medical research among students at Taibah College of Medicine, Madinah, Saudi Arabia

Figures & data

Table 1 Characteristics of studied students

Characteristics	N=233
Age in years, mean ± SD (range)	22.6±1.1 (20–25)
Sex
Male	119 (51.1)
Female	114 (48.9)
Study year
Third	68 (29.2)
Fourth	79 (33.9)
Fifth	86 (36.9)
Marital status
Single	217 (93.1)
Married	16 (6.9)

Notes: Data are presented as mean ± SD or as n (%).

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.

Table 2 Frequency distribution of the studied students in research attitude scale

Attitude items	1	2	3	4	5
1. Role of research in the medical field is important.	4.2	3.9	6.0	15.5	70.4
2. Conducting a research during medical school is important.	5.2	8.2	16.3	28.3	42.0
3. Research participating should be made compulsory to all medical students.	10.7	12.9	26.2	26.2	23.0
4. Teaching research methodology should be part of the curriculum.	6.9	8.6	18.0	26.6	39.9
5. Research conduction during medical school has positive impact on medical students.	6.4	8.2	17.6	29.6	38.2
6. Your research record should be an important criterion for acceptance in residency.	15.0	12.9	32.2	22.3	17.6
7. Research conduction reinforce teamwork spirit.	3.0	9.9	23.6	35.2	28.3
8. Research will be a part of long-term career goals.	3.4	6.9	21.0	33.9	34.8
9. Anticipate a good understanding of research methodology.	3.4	9.8	39.5	30.1	17.2
10. Patient outcome improves with continued medical research.	3.5	2.1	18.0	33.5	42.9
11. Medical student should not be involved in medical research.	41.2	18.8	15.5	11.6	12.9
12. Undertaken research increases burden in already over-curriculum (heavy load – educational or clinical) medical student.	7.7	11.6	37.8	28.3	14.6
13. Medical student can plan and conduct research project without supervision.	31.8	31.3	20.6	11.6	4.7
14. You encouraged by your seniors to get involved in any research activity.	18.0	21.9	21.9	25.3	12.9

Notes: Data are presented as %. Attitudes toward conducting medical research were assessed using Likert response scale from 1 to 5 (1= totally disagree; 2= disagree; 3= neutral; 4= agree; 5= totally agree).

Table 3 Frequency distribution of male and female students in research attitude scale

Attitude items	Student sex	1	2	3	4	5	P-value
1. Role of research in the medical field is important.	Female	4.3	4.4	5.3	19.3	66.4	0.50
	Male	4.2	3.4	6.7	11.4	74.6
2. Conducting a research during medical school is important.	Female	4.4	5.3	16.7	30.7	43.0	0.54
	Male	5.9	10.9	10.9	26.0	41.2
3. Research participating should be made compulsory to all medical students.	Female	11.4	11.4	23.7	26.3	27.2	0.75
	Male	10.1	14.3	28.6	26.0	21.0
4. Teaching research methodology should be part of the curriculum.	Female	6.1	9.7	19.3	22.8	42.11	0.70
	Male	7.5	7.6	16.8	30.2	37.8
5. Research conduction during medical school has positive impact on medical students.	Female	7.0	5.3	15.8	32.4	39.5	0.47
	Male	5.9	11.0	19.3	26.8	36.9
6. Your research record should be an important criterion for acceptance in residency.	Female	11.4	12.2	32.5	22.8	21.1	0.47
	Male	18.4	13.5	32.0	21.8	14.3
7. Research conduction reinforces teamwork spirit.	Female	4.4	13.1	21.0	30.7	30.7	0.18
	Male	1.7	6.7	26.0	39.5	26.1
8. Research will be a part of long-term career goals.	Female	5.3	5.2	21.0	32.5	36.0	0.51
	Male	1.7	8.4	21.0	35.3	33.6
9. Anticipate a good understanding of research methodology.	Female	4.4	11.4	40.3	26.3	17.5	0.69
	Male	2.5	8.4	38.7	33.6	16.8
10. Patient outcome improves with continued medical research.	Female	3.5	1.7	16.7	37.7	40.4	0.75
	Male	3.4	2.5	19.3	29.4	45.4
11. Medical student should not be involved in medical research.	Female	50.0	20.0	13.2	7.8	9.0	0.03*
	Male	32.8	17.2	17.6	15.6	16.8
12. Undertaken research increases burden in already over-curriculum (heavy load – educational or clinical) medical student.	Female	7.0	13.2	37.7	28.1	14.0	0.95
	Male	8.4	10.1	37.8	28.6	15.1
13. Medical student can plan and conduct research project without supervision.	Female	36.8	32.5	16.7	9.6	4.4	0.35
	Male	26.9	30.3	24.3	13.5	5.0
14. You encouraged by your seniors to get involved in any research activity.	Female	17.5	27.2	21.1	24.5	9.7	0.30
	Male	18.5	16.8	22.7	26.0	16.0

Notes:

* Statistically significant. Data are presented as % (with the exception of the P-values). Attitudes toward conducting medical research were assessed using Likert response scale from 1 to 5 (1= totally disagree; 2= disagree; 3= neutral; 4= agree; 5= totally agree).

Table 4 Average attitude score among the studied students by their characteristics

Student characteristics	Mean ± SD	P-value
Sex
Male	4.5±5.3	0.45
Female	4.1±5.1
Study year
Third	3.0±5.3	0.04*
Fourth	4.9±4.9
Fifth	4.9±5.2

Note:

* Statistically significant.

Abbreviation: SD, standard deviation.

Table 5 Distribution of the studied students by their research practice

Characteristics	Research practice, n (%)		P-value
	Yes (n=164)	No (n=69)
Sex
Male	74 (62.0)	45 (38.0)	0.01*
Female	90 (79.0)	24 (21.0)
Study year
Third	39 (57.0)	29 (43.0)	0.0002*
Fourth	51 (64.5)	28 (35.5)
Fifth	74 (86.0)	12 (14.0)

Note:

* Statistically significant.

Table 6 Barriers of not contributing in medical research: results of predictive logistic regression analysis

	β coefficient*	Score test value	SE**	P-value
All students
Inadequate facility for research	0.67	5.40	0.29	0.02***
Difficulty in obtaining a research supervisor	0.48	3.85	0.29	0.10
Unavailability of the samples (or patients)	0.69	4.90	0.31	0.02***
Male students
Inadequate facility for research	1.20	9.5	0.40	0.002***
Inadequate support by mentors/assistant	0.75	3.83	0.38	0.004***
Female students
Lack of rewarding and/or motivation	1.22	5.10	0.54	0.02***
Difficulty obtaining approval for the study	1.83	9.40	0.60	0.002***
Unavailability of the samples (or patients)	1.50	6.60	0.58	0.01**

Notes:

* Beta-coefficient of the predictive regression model

** SE

*** statistically significant.

Abbreviation: SE, standard error.