Predictors of self-reported research self-efficacy and perception of research amongst medical students in the United Kingdom: a national cross-sectional survey

Abstract

Purpose: There has been a decline in the number of academic clinicians in the UK, and there are ethnic/gender disparities in the academic workforce. Higher research self-efficacy (RSE) and a positive perception of research (PoR) amongst students are associated with a higher motivation to engage in academic medicine. Hence, this study aimed to determine the factors that influence RSE and PoR amongst UK medical students.

Methods: This is a multicentre cross-sectional survey of medical students in 36 UK medical schools in the 2020/21 academic year. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the association between students' demographics and RSE/PoR. P-values less than a Bonferroni-corrected significance level of .05/28 = .0018 were considered statistically significant.

Results: In total, 1573 individuals participated from 36 medical schools. There were no ethnic differences in PoR or RSE scores. Although there were no gender differences in PoR, female students had lower RSE scores than male students (adjusted β = -1.75; 95% CI: -2.62, -0.89). Research experience before medical school (adjusted β = 3.02; 95% CI: 2.11, 3.93), being in the clinical training phase (adjusted β = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.09, 2.90), and completing a degree before medical school (adjusted β = 3.66; 95% CI: 2.23, 5.09) were associated with higher RSE.

Conclusion: There were no associations between the predictor variables and PoR. Female students had lower self-reported RSE scores. Future studies should investigate the role of targeted research mentorship in improving RSE amongst female medical students.

Keywords: United Kingdom; inequalities; medical education; medical students; research; self-efficacy.