Undergraduate Medical Student Research Training at the University of the Free State
Author Information
Author(s): Gina Joubert, Willem J. Steinberg, Francois C. van Rooyen
Primary Institution: University of the Free State
Hypothesis
What are the characteristics and outcomes of undergraduate medical student research projects over 21 years?
Conclusion
The projects received support from a broad spectrum of supervisors and covered a wide variety of topics, with a notable increase in publication success over the years.
Supporting Evidence
- 607 projects were planned over 21 years with a completion rate of 99.3%.
- 22.4% of projects were published, with publication rates increasing over time.
- Students reported positive experiences regarding exposure to research, but noted challenges with group work and supervisor availability.
Takeaway
Medical students at the University of the Free State learn to do research as part of their training, and most of their projects get completed and some are even published.
Methodology
This retrospective cohort study reviewed all undergraduate medical student projects from the first 21 presentations of the research modules, analyzing archived materials and student feedback.
Potential Biases
Potential bias from self-reported student feedback and varying supervisor involvement.
Limitations
The study did not include individual project identification and lacked data from 2021 and 2022 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Participant Demographics
Undergraduate medical students at the University of the Free State, South Africa.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p=0.03
Confidence Interval
95% CI, 60.8–87.6%
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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