Research skills in health sciences teachers

Teaching is a task that usually requires scientific research because, from it, knowledge is strengthened not only in the area of teaching performance but also in the development of pedagogical strategies. Considering these ideas, this article has proposed as a general objective, to characterize the research competencies of Health Sciences teachers in universities in Ecuador. In its methodological orientation, it is descriptive research with a documentary design that uses known databases, including Dialnet, Google Academic, and Scielo. Thus, authors and research are selected concerning the dimensions of teaching research competencies, that is, research, publications, methodological expertise, and digital literacy. Subsequently, the results are presented in categorical tables or analytical matrices that contrast the theoretical elements with some realities of universities in the country, specifically in the health area. Among the study findings, the need to strengthen teachers' research skills is specified based on their scientific production, the number of publications, and their task in terms of forging the student profiles they are in charge of in the classroom. It concludes with the projection of the desired teaching profile, in terms of skills for research in the field of health, which is pertinent to promote in higher education centers in Ecuador.