Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Research Participation Among Medical Students at an Irish Medical School - A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Introduction Participation in research enables medical students to develop critical appraisal, communication, problem-solving, and analytical skills. As research engagement is increasingly important for medical education and progression into postgraduate training pathways, this study aimed to assess medical students’ perceptions of research, identify perceived barriers to participation, and compare attitudes across student cohorts. Methods Medical students at University College Cork were invited to complete an online questionnaire via the Qualtrics platform. The survey included multiple-choice, open-text, and Likert-scale questions assessing the perceived importance of research and barriers to participation. Data were processed and analysed using Microsoft Excel and SPSS, respectively. Frequency analyses and chi-squared tests were conducted to examine differences between student cohorts. Results A total of 114 students participated, including 60.5% from the EU and 39.5% from outside the EU. Overall, 82.4% of respondents considered research important to their medical education, including 82.6% of EU students and 82.2% of non-EU students. Additionally, 81.4% considered research important for their future careers. The most commonly reported barriers to research participation were limited time (77.2%) and limited research knowledge (75.3%). No significant differences were observed between EU and non-EU students in perceptions of research importance. Conclusions This study highlights the perceived importance of research by medical students, whilst identifying significant barriers such as limited research knowledge and insufficient mentorship hindering their participation. Concerted efforts to address these challenges may foster greater student engagement in research, ultimately benefiting their academic development and career progression.