Perceptions, barriers, and practice of medical research of family medicine residents in Medina, Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND: Health research training is an important part of medical education. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions, barriers, and practices of medical research of family medicine residents in Medina, Saudi Arabia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among family medicine residents in the Joint Program of Family Medicine Post-Graduate Studies in Medina, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The data was collected using a validated tool. SPSS was used for data analysis; frequencies and percentages obtained for categorical variables. Student's t-test and ANOYA performed to compare attitude score by sociodemographic variables. Chi-square test was to assess association between attitude and motivation with gender; all test performed at 0.05 significance level. RESULTS: One hundred residents participated in this study with a response rate of 76%. Forty-seven percent were men, 58% were year 1 or year 2 residents, 52% were 27 years or younger, and 65% were married. The males had a significantly higher average attitude score (45.2 +/- 6.5) than the females (42.0 +/- 6.9, P= 0.02). About half of the residents were not willing to conduct research. Seventy-five of participants had done some research (75%). A cross-sectional study design was the most common type of study that had been used by participants (71%). More than half (58%) had done the research because it was obligatory in the curriculum. The most important barriers to medical research were difficulty in publishing (37%) and the lack of statistical support (36%). CONCLUSIONS: The male residents had more positive attitude toward research. Half of the residents were not willing to conduct research. The main barriers were difficulty in getting the research published and the lack of statistical support.