Grooming Future Physician-scientists: Evaluating the Impact of Research Motivations, Practices, and Perceived Barriers Towards the Uptake of an Academic Career Among Medical Students

Purpose: To evaluate the research trends and underlying motivations that shape intentions for the future uptake of an academic career among medical students. Further, to investigate the barriers and sought-after interventions which may optimise research outcomes in a resource-limited setting.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 294 undergraduate (UG) medical students in Karachi, Pakistan. A self-administered questionnaire was employed to assess current research practices and future intentions, and to evaluate related motivations, barriers, and sought-after interventions.

Results: Almost two-thirds of medical students reported some form of involvement in medical research and expressed positive attitudes towards the same. However, intentions to pursue research at a professional level not only remained low (19.7%) but were found to decrease with each passing year of study (p<0.01). The most commonly expressed motivation for pursuing research was "admission into a residency program" (71.8%), and was associated with a decreased likelihood of pursuing research professionally. The most cited barriers to conducting UG research were a "lack of time" (72.4%), "lack of supervisors" (50.3%) and a "lack of opportunities in the university" (48.3%). A dichotomy in sought-after interventions was observed among research-naïve and research-experienced students.

Conclusions: Despite promising trends in UG medical research, the intentions for uptake of an academic career remain low. Research practices driven by career enhancement alone may be detrimental. Interventions to increase research output must promote the capacity building of research-naïve students and facilitate the ongoing practices of research-experienced students.