• Temidayo Osunronbi, William Adeboye, David Faluyi, Jasmine Sofela, Serena Shoker, Marguerite O'Riordan, Christine A Mitoko, Valentine K Mberu, Chenai Mandangu, Rachael Madume, Adebola I Kolawole, Robert I Jones, Deborah Inyang, Ummulkhulsum Ibrahim, Ikenna M Ibeanusi, Isata J Fofanah, Anna C Corriero, Chimba Chimba, Izieduwa Akhionbare, Zain Ahmad, Fatima Adamu-Biu, Semhar Abraha, Efua Abankwa, Agbolahan Sofela, and REMED-UK collaborators.
• Melanin Medics Research Network, Luton LU4 8DY, United Kingdom.
• Postgrad Med J. 2023 Mar 31; 99 (1168): 697669-76.

PurposeThere has been a decline in the number of academic clinicians in the UK, and there are ethnic/gender disparities in the academic workforce. Higher research self-efficacy (RSE) and a positive perception of research (PoR) amongst students are associated with a higher motivation to engage in academic medicine. Hence, this study aimed to determine the factors that influence RSE and PoR amongst UK medical students.MethodsThis is a multicentre cross-sectional survey of medical students in 36 UK medical schools in the 2020/21 academic year. Multiple linear regression was used to investigate the association between students' demographics and RSE/PoR. P-values less than a Bonferroni-corrected significance level of .05/28 = .0018 were considered statistically significant.ResultsIn total, 1573 individuals participated from 36 medical schools. There were no ethnic differences in PoR or RSE scores. Although there were no gender differences in PoR, female students had lower RSE scores than male students (adjusted β = -1.75; 95% CI: -2.62, -0.89). Research experience before medical school (adjusted β = 3.02; 95% CI: 2.11, 3.93), being in the clinical training phase (adjusted β = 1.99; 95% CI: 1.09, 2.90), and completing a degree before medical school (adjusted β = 3.66; 95% CI: 2.23, 5.09) were associated with higher RSE.ConclusionThere were no associations between the predictor variables and PoR. Female students had lower self-reported RSE scores. Future studies should investigate the role of targeted research mentorship in improving RSE amongst female medical students.© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Postgraduate Medical Journal. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

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