Ahmed Khaled Elfaitury

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2. MEDICAL STUDENT RESEARCH: AN INTEGRATED
MIXED-METHODS SYSTEMATIC REVIEW AND
META-ANALYSIS
Academic Editor: Emmanuel Manalo, Kyoto University, JAPAN
Published: June 18, 2015
Ahmed Khaled Elfaitury 4th Year – medical student
Journal Abbreviation: PLOS ONE
2015 Impact Factor : 4.411
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3. OUTLINES OF PRESENTATION:
• Introduction
• Object of research
• Methods
• Results and Discussion
• Conclusions and Future Directions
• Recommendations
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4. Introduction-1
We should have a new medical educational model that emphasized Flexibility
and adaptability of traditionally rigid curricula to local and community needs.
Medical student participation in research
The Commission on Education of Health Professionals for the 21st Century, special report, 2010
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5. Medical student participation in research could improve the rapid decline of
physician-investigators numbers in US.
Introduction-2
Report of National Institutes of Health - USA
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6. Introduction -3
MSTP Medical Scientist Training Program:
• This program offers students the opportunity to
get a good feel for what a physician-scientist
career entails through a funded MD/PhD, for
medical students.
• In 2010 NIH found that these programs were
very successful at reaching their goals of training
future physician-scientists.
NIH - USA
Intercalated Bachelor of Science (iBSc) degrees:
• Research time-out periods between the basic and
clinical years of medical school.
• Students who take intercalated degrees graduate
with an extra BSc beside their medical degree.
UK
There is 2 major Student research Program:
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7. Objective of the study
Secondary Objectives:
Explore forms of student research
projects.
Identify factors related to student
engagement in research & pros and
cons of research time-out periods.
Primary Objectives:
 Influence of medical research on:
-Scientific productivity of students.
-Career choice of l students.
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8. Methods
PRISMA : Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis
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- Databases :
MEDLINE
Cochrane Central Register of Controlled
Trials (CENTRAL)
Cochrane Database of Systematic
Reviews
Cochrane Methodology Register (CMR)
Educational Resources Information
Center (ERIC)
Center for Reviews and Dissemination
(CRD)
ISI Web of Science and Google Scholar.

9. 79 articles
71 quantitative
7qualitative
1 both
quantitative
&qualitative
23 objective research
strategy,
2 used both
questionnaires and
objective database
searching
2 had undisclosed
methodology.
47 cross-sectional
studies,
25 retrospective
studies,
3 prospective
studies, 3
intervention studies
1 study with an
unknown/undisclose
d design
57 performed in a
single institution
22 studies involved
multiple institutions.
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10. Results :
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• I- Assessing the current situation
• II- Factors related to-or affecting medical student research
• III- Impact and effect of medical research
• IV- Miscellaneous topics

11. I. Assessing the current situation:
I.1: Interest in & exposure to research among the medical students
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The interest in research among students in developing country was
away more then developed country (0.82 vs 0.62)

12. I. Assessing the current situation:
I.2: Forms of exposure to research among the medical students
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students may be engaged in research through :
summer research electives
mandatory curricular study modules
extracurricular research activities
BSc beside their medical degree

13. II. Factors related to- or affecting medical student research
II-1 previous research experience and academic success
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Students who had previous research experience :
 Have more attitude in basic medical sciences
 Have more interest in a career involving research

14. II. Factors related to- or affecting medical student research
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II. Financial Factors
Students in developed countries are more concern about financial stability more than
students in developing countries (0.45 vs 0.12)

15. III- Assessing the impact & effect of student research
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III.1 Later Involvement in research Projects and publishable products
• (30%) of research performed by medical students resulted in a peer-reviewed journal publication.
• the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine annually publishes Yale's student thesis abstracts.

16. III- Assessing the impact & effect of student research
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III.2 Long term success in academia
 More publication
 More citations
 More awards
 More grants
Odd Ratio 2.31

17. III- Assessing the impact & effect of student research
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III.3 interest in related specialty
 We can guide and direct the student toward some specialty
by involving them in research projects ?

18. IV- Miscellaneous topics related to student research
IV-1. Academic performance
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• The data we obtained from Hren et al shows an association between
higher Grade Point Average (GPA) and attitudes towards research
(OR = 1.83, 1.42–2.36)
• on the other hand, shows no significant difference between highest
MCAT scores and attitude in research.
• Perhaps GPA during medical school, but not before admission, is a
factor that influences attitudes. However, we believe the evidence in
favor or against this hypothesis is weak and further investigation is
needed in the future.

19. IV- Miscellaneous topics related to student research
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IV-3. Gender equality
Males :
 More publication
 Interest in research as a career
Female :
 More attitude toward research
 More research knowledge & skills

20. IV- Miscellaneous topics related to student research
Type and field of research performed by medical students
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21. IV- Miscellaneous topics related to student research
The situation of student research in countries with developing economies
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 Students’ interest in research was higher in developing countries than in
developed countries.
 It’s more important in developing countries due to the pressing need to adapt
international standards to local community needs.
 Difficulties in performing statistics from medical records due to suboptimal
Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure in hospitals
and in teaching premises in countries with developing economies

22. Conclusions and Recommendations
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23. Conclusions-1
• Variability in student research exposure, engagement and productivity among different
medical schools have the most positive effect.
• A large proportion of the student population is interested in research, but is deterred by
practical difficulties, including the lack of opportunities and funding.
• Medical school research does have a positive effect on the choice of an academic career.
• Financial worries, gender, having a higher degree (MSc or PhD) before matriculation and
perceived competitiveness of the residency of choice are among the factors that affect
the engagement of medical students in research and their scientific productivity.
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24. Some students talked more about serving humanity directly through patient care,
while MD/PhD or PhD-pursuing students wanted to help others directly, and
indirectly through research.
While others talked more about Curiosity, Problem solving, independence,
serving the world indirectly and a flexible perspective of one's own future
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Conclusions-2

25. The recommendations
Early exposure to research, finding the right mentors and role models
are among the most important factors.
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Positive effect of mentorship or the presence of an academic role model
-Students with clinical academic supervisors gained significantly more publications
(P<0.0001)
-Students with clinical academic supervisors gained significantly more first-class
honors (P = 0.055)
-Mentorship bolsters interest in a research-oriented career

26. THANKS
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