Twenty-one Years of Undergraduate Medical Student Research Training at the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa.

Journal: Medical science educator

Volume: 34

Issue: 6

Year of Publication: 

Affiliated Institutions:  Department of Biostatistics, School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Nelson Mandela Drive, Bloemfontein, South Africa. Department of Family Medicine, School of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, South Africa.

Abstract summary 

Since 2001, undergraduate medical students at the University of the Free State (UFS), South Africa, plan, perform, and report on their research projects during semesters 2-5 of their ten-semester training. We describe the research modules and review the projects of the first 21 years.This cohort study included all undergraduate medical student projects that formed part of the first 21 presentations of the research modules. Information was obtained from material archived by the module leaders. Students' 2020 feedback on the modules was summarised.In total, 607 projects were planned (range 22-35 per year) and involved 229 supervisors. Only four projects were not completed. Thirty-nine Faculty departments/divisions/units provided supervision with Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Paediatrics and Child Health each supervising 60 or more groups. Projects were predominantly quantitative (99.7%); only 4.9% of projects involved an intervention or experiment. Main topics were infectious diseases (10.5%), mental health (8.9%), and cancer (8.7%). Data subjects were mainly patients (61.9%) and undergraduate students (12.0%), and data collection was mostly performed at the faculty's training hospitals or laboratories (71.4%). The most positive aspect indicated by students was the exposure to and learning about research; the most negative aspects were group work and supervisors.The projects received support from a broad spectrum of supervisors and covered a wide variety of topics. Given the timing of the projects in the training programme, the mainly quantitative and observational nature of the projects was appropriate. Attention to supervision and group work is required.

Authors & Co-authors:  Joubert Gina G Steinberg Wilhelm J WJ van Rooyen Francois C FC

Study Outcome 

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Citations :  Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA). Core competencies for undergraduate students in clinical associate, dentistry and medical teaching and learning programmes in South Africa. Pretoria: Health Professions Council of South Africa; 2014. https://www.hpcsa-blogs.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/MDB-Core-Competencies-ENGLISH-FINAL-2014.pdf. Accessed 14 February 2024.
Authors :  3
Identifiers
Doi : 10.1007/s40670-024-02107-8
SSN : 2156-8650
Study Population
Male,Female
Mesh Terms
Other Terms
Experience;Medical students;Outcomes;Publications;Research;Training;Undergraduate
Study Design
Cohort Study
Study Approach
Quantitative
Country of Study
South Africa
Publication Country
United States