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Table 2 Student perceptions of research exposure and attitudes

From: Cross-sectional Survey of Medical student perceptions of And desires for Research and Training pathways (SMART): an analysis of prospective cohort study of UK medical students

Question

Response Options

Number (%) of participants

Level of participants' exposure to research to date

None at All

356 (20.09)

A Little

847 (47.80)

A Moderate Amount

434 (24.49)

A Lot

97 (5.47)

A Great Deal

36 (2.03)

Missing

2 (0.11)

Adequacy of medical school’s contribution to participants' knowledge of research

Extremely inadequate

116 (6.55)

Somewhat inadequate

449 (25.34)

Neither adequate nor inadequate

353 (19.92)

Somewhat adequate

672 (37.92)

Extremely adequate

181 (10.21)

Missing

1 (0.06)

Research compulsory part of a degree

Yes

1105 (62.36)

No

283 (15.97)

Missing

384 (21.67)

Reasons for engaging with research

Interest in the subject

865 (48.81)

Career progression

721 (40.69)

Personal development

717 (40.46)

Interest in scientific problems

596 (33.63)

Feel obliged to do it

520 (29.35)

Contribution to better health care

465 (26.24)

Intellectual stimulation

437 (24.60)

Improving critical thinking

384 (21.67)

Extra Income

89 (5.02)

Other

144 (8.13)

Missing

2 (0.11)

Types of research done

Quality Improvement Project

268 (15.12)

Audit

425 (23.98)

Basic Science Project

626 (35.32)

Co-author on Original Paper in Peer Reviewed Journal

207 (11.68)

Co-author on any Publications Related to Research

181 (10.21)

Presented a Poster

648 (36.57)

Given an Oral Presentation

665 (37.53)

Named Collaborator on Original Paper in Peer Reviewed Journal

99 (5.59)

Named Collaborator on any Publication Related to Research

112 (6.32)

Clinical Project

459 (25.90)

Other

137 (7.73)

Missing

2 (0.11)

Barriers preventing research

Yes

827 (46.67)

No

928 (52.37)

Missing

17 (0.96)

Usefulness of research with medical studies

Not at all useful

70 (3.95)

Slightly useful

422 (23.81)

Moderately useful

572 (32.28)

Very useful

483 (27.26)

Extremely useful

216 (12.19)

Missing

9 (0.54)

Difficulty of combining research with medical studies

Extremely difficult

286 (16.14)

Somewhat difficult

963 (54.35)

Neither easy nor difficult

348 (19.64)

Somewhat easy

137 (7.73)

Extremely easy

21 (1.19)

‘I wish to pursue an academic career’

Strongly disagree

310 (17.49)

Somewhat disagree

454 (25.62)

Neither agree nor disagree

407 (22.97)

Somewhat agree

422 (23.81)

Strongly agree

178 (10.05)

Missing

1 (0.06)

‘I wish to pursue an academic training pathway’

Strongly disagree

334 (18.85)

Somewhat disagree

443 (25.00)

Neither agree nor disagree

427 (24.10)

Somewhat agree

388 (21.90)

Strongly agree

177 (9.99)

Missing

3 (0.17)

‘I would be interested in undertaking more research in the future’

Strongly disagree

119 (6.72)

Somewhat disagree

208 (11.74)

Neither agree nor disagree

248 (14.00)

Somewhat agree

660 (37.25)

Strongly agree

530 (29.91)

Missing

7 (0.40)