Research experience of resident doctors who attended research methodology courses of the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria

Introduction: For over three decades, the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN) has been vested with the responsibility of overseeing postgraduate medical training. The main objective of this study was to assess the residents’ perception of research as well as challenges faced in pursing seamless research during their training. Materials and Methods: This study was a cross-sectional descriptive survey in 2013. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to the participants of the annual research methodology workshop in all the 15 faculties of the NPMCN. The questionnaires assessed the residents’ previous exposure to research, their publication history and their trainers’ input to their own research. Statistical analysis was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 20 software. Results: Four hundred and one resident doctors, out of a total of 415 who attended the course, completed the questionnaires during the study period (96.6% response rate). There were 269 (67.0%) males and 132 (33.0%) females, giving a male-to-female ratio of 2:1. About three-quarters of them admitted that their exposure to research during training was grossly inadequate. Twenty-five percent of them were involved in a previous research before residency training, and a further 70% of respondents were involved in their trainers’ research work. Ninety-four percent in our study identified a lack of dedicated time to be spared for research as a major obstacle to research. Conclusion: Contribution and exposure to research among postgraduate trainees in Nigeria are low. Lack of dedicated time for research was viewed as the major obstacle to research by most residents.