Medical students' attitudes towards research and a career in research: an Auckland, New Zealand study.

AIM: To determine the attitudes towards research and research careers among students at a New Zealand medical school. METHODS: A questionnaire was devised and distributed during compulsory lecture sessions to all medical students enrolled at the School of Medicine, University of Auckland during the 2007 academic year. RESULTS: Among the 756 students enrolled for the 2007 academic year, 558 responded, with an overall response rate of 74%. Twenty-five percent of students had participated in some form of research activity during medical school, with summer studentships being the most common type of research experience. Seventy percent of all students surveyed expressed interest in participating in research during medical school. Although 68% of respondents were aware of the intercalated research degree option at the School of Medicine, only 8.6% expressed interest in undertaking this option. The most common reasons for not pursuing an intercalated degree option were lack of interest in this format of research experience (46%), social reasons (29%), and financial reasons (27%). There was no widespread support from the students for having research training as a compulsory part of medical school curriculum. With respect to long-term career plan, 35% of respondents planned to be involved in research throughout their medical career, and 22% were interested in pursuing higher degrees (MD or PhD) following graduation. However, more students rated lifestyle (84% affirmative) and earning potential (43% affirmative) as more important factors than opportunity for research (23% affirmative) when choosing a career specialty. CONCLUSIONS: The New Zealand medical students sampled reported a significant interest in research, with a majority of the students planning to participate in extracurricular research activities during medical school, and many hoping to be involved in research throughout their medical careers. However, only a small number of students were interested in pursuing research through an intercalated undergraduate degree option. Ultimately, the opportunity for research was deemed to be a less important consideration when choosing a specialty, compared to lifestyle and earning potential.