Research supervisors' views of barriers and enablers for research projects undertaken by medical students; a mixed methods evaluation of a post-graduate medical degree research project program

Abstract

Background: Medical degree programs use scholarly activities to support development of basic research skills, critical evaluation of medical information and promotion of medical research. The University of Sydney Doctor of Medicine Program includes a compulsory research project. Medical student projects are supervised by academic staff and affiliates, including biomedical science researchers and clinician-academics. This study investigated research supervisors' observations of the barriers to and enablers of successful medical student research projects.

Methods: Research supervisors (n = 130) completed an anonymous, online survey after the completion of the research project. Survey questions targeted the research supervisors' perceptions of barriers to successful completion of projects and sources of support for their supervision of the student project. Data were analysed by descriptive statistics and using manifest content analysis. Further quantitative investigation was made by cross-tabulation according to prior research supervision experience.

Results: Research supervisors reported that students needed both generic skills (75%) and research-based skills (71%) to successfully complete the project. The major barrier to successful research projects was the lack of protected time for research activities (61%). The assessment schedule with compulsory progress milestones enabled project completion (75%), and improved scientific presentation (90%) and writing (93%) skills. Supervisors requested further support for their students for statistics (75%), scientific writing (51%), and funding for projects (52%). Prior research supervision experience influenced the responses. Compared to novice supervisors, highly experienced supervisors were significantly more likely to want students to be allocated dedicated time for the project (P < 0.01) and reported higher rates of access to expert assistance in scientific writing, preparing ethics applications and research methodology. Novice supervisors reported higher rates of unexpected project delays and data acquisition problems (P < 0.05). Co-supervision was favoured by experienced supervisors but rejected by novice supervisors.

Conclusions: Both generic and research-related skills were important for medical student research project success. Overall, protected research time, financial and other academic support were identified as factors that would improve the research project program. Prior research supervision experience influences perceptions of program barriers and enablers. These findings will inform future support needs for projects and research supervisor training for the research supervision role.

Keywords: Medical research projects; Medical student projects; Research skills development; Research supervision practice; Research supervisors; Scholarly research; Student supervision; Student thesis.

Fig. 1

Student-Supervisor relationship items. Supervisors responded to a number of items related to the student-supervisor relationship on a Likert scale from not at all to extremely. Percentage of responses are shown

Fig. 2

Research supervisors’ perceptions of skills students needed for completing research projects. Percentage of supervisors (n = 130) who selected these items from a list of generic and research skills needed in the student research project

Fig. 3

Barriers to successful completion of MD Projects reported by supervisors. Percentage of supervisors (n = 130) that selected these items from a list of barriers to successfully completing the research project. These barriers were grouped in relation to the MD Program, the project, the supervisor or the student

Fig. 4

Support and resources needed by MD Project supervisors. Percentage of supervisors (n = 130) that selected these items from a list of supports and resources needed for the MD Project

Fig. 5

Novice supervisors’ appraisal of student research capabilities. A Novice supervisors were significantly less likely to want a dedicated time for the project, (B) were more likely to consider their students familiar with research methodology and (C) confident in approaching the project. D Highly experienced supervisors were significantly less likely to cite their student’s lack of previous research experience as a barrier compared to moderately experienced and novice supervisors. * P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, χ²-test; # = P < 0.05, Mantel–Haenszel test of trend, by supervisor experience

Fig. 6

Novice supervisors’ reported rates of project delays or problems. MD Project delays, due to (A) ethics approval, (B) data acquisition or (C) unexpected problems were more often reported with novice supervisors, with a decreasing trend in delays as supervision experience increased (# = P < 0.05, Mantel–Haenszel test of trend, by supervisor experience)