A Review of the Enablers and Barriers of Medical Student Participation in Research

Abstract

AbstractAlthough research is an integral component in medicine, student participation in research remains limited. This is a systematic review conducted using rapid review methods conforming to the WHO and Cochrane guidelines to synthesise evidence on the enablers and barriers of medical student participation in research. PubMed, EMBASE, and PsycINFO were searched, yielding 27 final studies. Most studies were single-centre studies, and all were cross-sectional. All were quantitative except for one mixed-methods study. Identified barriers and enablers were mapped onto the micro, meso, and macro frameworks. There are more perceived barriers than enablers of medical students’ participation in research. The micro, meso, and macro frameworks provide a useful system to unpack and tackle the barriers.