• Marco Ruiz, Pablo Araya, Slavka Chelebifski, Nicolás Sarzosa, Melissa Araya, Catalina Biénzobas, María José Ayala, and Claudia G Sáez.
• Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
• Rev Med Chil. 2021 Dec 1; 149 (12): 1716-1722.

BackgroundScientific research is fundamental to the education of medical students. However, their involvement in research is limited.AimTo describe the perceptions of medical students about facilitators and constraints to perform undergraduate research.Material And MethodsMedical students attending the Chilean Congress of Medical Students in the Metropolitan Region in 2018, were surveyed. The responses obtained were subjected to a qualitative content analysis and were grouped according to perceptions of facilitators and constraints.ResultsThe main facilitators reported were linkage with research teachers, personal motivation towards research, and research-oriented curriculum. The main constraints were lack of time for research, lack of access to formal information channels to engage in research, and sub-optimal conditions for research.ConclusionsThe main factor promoting research at the undergraduate level was the link with the teacher, mainly through informal channels. The lack of official information provided through formal instances and lack of time hampers the access to research.

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