Perception and practice of medical research amongst future doctors in a Medical College of Kolkata: A cross-sectional study

Background: Medical research is important for medical students, but the scope and practice in India are poor compared to Western countries. Sparse published data are available from India on the perceptions and practice of medical research among the future doctors of a Medical College. Methods: It was an observational, descriptive type of study with cross-sectional design conducted amongst future doctors (3[sup.rd] Professional Part II students and Interns) of a Government Medical College in Kolkata. A pre-designed, structured questionnaire (as Google Forms) was shared amongst the participants through WhatsApp. Results: Majority of the participants (85.1) opined that research is essential for updating knowledge in the Medical Field, while about 2/5[sup.th] of them regarded teaching on research in the UG curriculum as unsatisfactory. Perceived barriers cited by the participants were lack of funding support (88.3), lack of facilities (69.5), lack of proper guidance (83.8), demanding curriculum (74.7), existing stress (58.1) and lack of time (77.9). Motivating factors for research as considered by the participants were inspiration from teachers (85.1), inspiration from peers, relatives or family members (49.3), financial gains (51.9) and career prospects (59.1). Only 13.0 of the participants conducted any research, and only 4.5 have published their study. Conclusions: Several perceived barriers as well as motivating factors for research cited by the future doctors. Practice on research amongst them is far from being satisfactory. Keywords: Biomedical research, cross-sectional studies, medical students, perception