Authors: Shezadi Sabah Imran , Maria Nazir , Waleed Dar , Usman Aziz , Rabia Shoaib , Qalbe Saleem , Maria Zaman

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Research plays an essential part in academic advancement of medical students. At student level research experience is highly associated with future career achievements. This study was carried out to determine attitudes towards research among undergraduate and postgraduate students and also among male and female students.
Methods: It was a cross-sectional descriptive study conducted at Wah Medical College, Pakistan Ordinance Factory Hospital from January to June 2018. The study was carried out on 192 students, 64 postgraduate and 128 undergraduate students. They were selected by simple random sampling technique and a pre-tested attitude towards research (ATR) scale questionnaire was used for data collection. The first part of the questionnaire included demographic information and second part comprised of 30 questions to assess their attitude towards research. The questions were to be responded on seven points Likert scale from strongly disagree to strongly agree after taking informed consent. Data was analyzed by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 20.0 Means and standard deviations of each question and five different components i.e. research usefulness, research anxiety, positive attitude towards research, relevance to life and difficulty in research were calculated. Independent sample T test was applied on total mean scores of ATR scale and mean scores of all components of undergraduate and postgraduate students and the test was also applied on mean scores of ATR scale between male and female students.
Results: The means and standard deviations of ATR scale of undergraduate and postgraduate students were 125.15 ± 21.131 and 137.69 ± 22.371 respectively and the P value came out to be < 0.001. Other factors studied also varied significantly among undergraduate and postgraduate students; research usefulness (P =< 0.001), research difficulty (P = 0.027) and positive attitude towards research (P = 0.005).
Conclusion: The postgraduate students showed more positive attitude towards research than the undergraduate students and no difference was noted among male and female students.

Keywords: Attitude towards research scale, Students, Education, Medical, Undergraduate, Postgraduate.