MEDICAL STUDENTS AND THE VALUE OF RESEARCH

OGUNFOWORA TAIWODIRECTOR OF MEDICAL EDUCATION, EMSA CSMU

ABOUT MEMy name is Ogunfowora Taiwo, 5th year medical student of CSMU and current Director of Medical Education for EMSA CSMU. I’m primarily involved in helping with research studies and article publications for EMSA-CSMU members.

THE ROLE OF RESEARCH IN MEDICINE

What is the role of research in medicine? While it is impossible to quantify, it is important to analyze if we are to continue expending countless hours and money into the medical sciences.

Some have argued that the two should not and cannot mix in the first place.

 Nobel laureate Macfalane Burnet makes some pretty provocative statements about the medical sciences: “The real problem of today is to find some means of diminishing the incidence of these diseases [cancer and genetic disabilities] of civilization … it remains, the most urgent and difficult challenge in medicine. Nothing from the laboratories seems to have any relevance to such matters 

Theobald Smith believes research and medicine are not mutually exclusive. He worked on ‘Texas Fever’ and the result of Dr. Smith’s work brought huge impact to clinical practice and medical sciences (in humans as well as other animals) in this regard. Sound experimental investigation brought immediate impact to the medical profession, thereby further disproving previous thought that this simply does not happen in reality

The question still remains: Can research and medical practice coexist effectively in medical institutions and practitioners?

For one thing, it improves the way medicine is taught and understood by its students. Medical education is the foundation and stepping stone of the institution of medicine. With collaborative learning into the practicalities of medicine along with investigations into the basic sciences, the student is better suited to practice this medicine.

We all start from the Medical Sciences before moving on to Clinical Sciences.

ENGAGING MEDICAL STUDENTS IN HEALTH RESEARCH

The ability for critical thinking, scientific inquiry and generation of new medical knowledge are highly valued assets in physicians, who are in a position to contribute to both frontline clinical care and advancement of medicine.  Thus, there is a strong interest in many medical schools to develop research interests in medical trainees and to recruit clinical scientists to their faculty. 

AS A MEDICAL STUDENT, WHY SHOULD YOU BE INTERESTED IN RESEARCH

1. Carrying out a research, while still a medical student, provides an opportunity for them to study a discipline in which they are interested in. Research helps enhance your understanding of your classroom studies. It is one thing to read about  how a biological process works but seeing the process develop in the lab can make it come alive.

2. Carrying out research allows the student to critically analyse other studies and hence, judge whether the papers have any clinical relevance.

3. Scientific research helps students develop critical reasoning skills. Also, Medical statistical knowledge, IT skills as it requires the student to use various statistical packages to analyse their results, carry out online literature searches, use Microsoft Word to write up their project and use Power point to present the study to various medical communities.

Research helps the student to develop characteristics such as self discipline, commitment and determination in order to get a result in a short span of time, and to write up the project.

Not only does doing research look good in the CV, but it allows them opportunities to publish and present papers on their study.

In Germany, for example, medical students authored 28% of the publications of one institution, including first authorship in 7.8% of papers . Nothing can be more motivating for a student than to get published.

It gives the student a competitive edge over their fellow colleagues, exposure to research as a student can also help to identify future careers, establish important contacts, and secure better residency positions.

MAJOR CHALLENGES TO STUDENT RESEARCH Perceptions, attitudes and practices toward research among senior medical students Khalid M. AlGhamdi,Noura A. Moussa, Dana S.

AlEssa, Nermeen AlOthimeen, Adwa S. Al-Saud Saudi Pharmaceutical JournalVolume 22, Issue 2, April 2014, Pages 113–117

The medical world is ever-evolving and it is essential, as a medical student, to keep up with these changes. By carrying research works, we as medical students, can contribute and make a difference, however small it may be.

THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!

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