{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,13]],"date-time":"2025-12-13T06:54:03Z","timestamp":1765608843477,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":58,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,12]],"date-time":"2021-10-12T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1633996800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001871","name":"Funda\u00e7\u00e3o para a Ci\u00eancia e Tecnologia","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","award":["EXPL\/IVC-PEC\/1302\/2013"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["EXPL\/IVC-PEC\/1302\/2013"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001871","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"FCT\/MEC; PIDDAC; FEDER; COMPETE (POFC)","award":["FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-041872"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-041872"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Healthcare"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The integration of scientific research into medical curricula remains insufficient despite its advantages for medical students\u2019 professional development and the advancement of medicine. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of first-year medical course attendance on medical students\u2019 attitudes and perceptions towards scientific research and clinical practice, while also assessing the contribution of sociodemographic and academic factors. Two hundred and thirteen medical students self-administrated a questionnaire at the beginning and at the end of the first school year. Their responses were compared and two regression models were calculated to assess factors influencing students\u2019 attitudes and perceptions. After freshman year, students displayed significantly lower positive attitudes towards science and research. Their motivation to perform research and to integrate it into the curriculum also decreased, while the importance attributed to research skills for clinical practice increased. Motivation to perform research and negative attitudes were positively and negatively associated with grade point average (GPA), respectively. Female students and those who attended public secondary schools attributed greater importance to communication skills. This study reinforces the need to early develop research skills and positive attitudes in medical students, motivating them to become physician-scientists. Additional follow-up studies may offer further contributions to the integration of research into medical curricula.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/healthcare9101357","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,13]],"date-time":"2021-10-13T04:51:57Z","timestamp":1634100717000},"page":"1357","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":6,"title":["Portuguese Medical Students\u2019 Interest for Science and Research Declines after Freshman Year"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Margarida","family":"Pereira","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-4038-5892","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gustavo","family":"Correia","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5787-4871","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Milton","family":"Severo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Biomedical Sciences Abel Salazar, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"Institute of Public Health, University of Porto, 4050-091 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-1325-1410","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ana Cristina","family":"Ver\u00edssimo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1181-9217","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Laura","family":"Ribeiro","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Public Health and Forensic Sciences, and Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal"},{"name":"I3S\u2014Instituto de Investiga\u00e7\u00e3o e Inova\u00e7\u00e3o em Sa\u00fade, Universidade do Porto, 4200-135 Porto, Portugal"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,12]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Boyle, S.E., Cotton, S.C., Myint, P.K., and Hold, G.L. (2017). The influence of early research experience in medical school on the decision to intercalate and future career in clinical academia: A questionnaire study. BMC Med. Educ., 17.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-017-1066-1"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"211","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.2007.26","article-title":"The meaning of translational research and why it matters","volume":"299","author":"Woolf","year":"2008","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"149","DOI":"10.1177\/108155890305100317","article-title":"Impact of medical student research in the development of physician-scientists","volume":"51","author":"Solomon","year":"2003","journal-title":"J. Investig. Med."},{"key":"ref_4","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Amgad, M., Tsui, M.M.K., Liptrott, S.J., and Shash, E. (2015). Medical student research: An integrated mixed-methods systematic review and meta-analysis. PLoS ONE, 10.","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0127470"},{"key":"ref_5","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Parkes, J., Hyde, C., Deeks, J.J., and Milne, R. (2001). Teaching critical appraisal skills in health care settings. Cochrane Database Syst. Rev., CD001270.","DOI":"10.1002\/14651858.CD001270"},{"key":"ref_6","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"81","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2923.2004.01735.x","article-title":"Teaching research methodology in medical schools: Students\u2019 attitudes towards and knowledge about science","volume":"38","author":"Hren","year":"2004","journal-title":"Med. Educ."},{"key":"ref_7","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ribeiro, L., Severo, M., and Ferreira, M.A. (2016). Performance of a core of transversal skills: Self-perceptions of undergraduate medical students. BMC Med. Educ., 16.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-016-0527-2"},{"key":"ref_8","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1092","DOI":"10.1038\/ni.3010","article-title":"The physician scientist: Balancing clinical and research duties","volume":"15","author":"Morel","year":"2014","journal-title":"Nat. Immunol."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1162","DOI":"10.1097\/ACM.0000000000000702","article-title":"A review of literature on medical students and scholarly research: Experiences, attitudes, and outcomes","volume":"90","author":"Chang","year":"2015","journal-title":"Acad. Med."},{"key":"ref_10","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Salgueira, A., Costa, P., Gon\u00e7alves, M., Magalh\u00e3es, E., and Costa, M.J. (2012). Individual characteristics and students engagement in scientific research: A cross-sectional study. BMC Med. Educ., 12.","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6920-12-95"},{"key":"ref_11","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1343","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.294.11.1343","article-title":"The physician-scientist career pipeline in 2005: Build it, and they will come","volume":"294","author":"Ley","year":"2005","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref_12","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e317","DOI":"10.3109\/0142159X.2012.670324","article-title":"Extracurricular participation in research and audit by medical students: Opportunities, obstacles, motivation and outcomes","volume":"34","author":"Jamjoom","year":"2012","journal-title":"Med. Teach."},{"key":"ref_13","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"44","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2923.2010.03761.x","article-title":"Science and medical education: Is it time to revisit Flexner?","volume":"45","author":"Weatherall","year":"2011","journal-title":"Med. Educ."},{"key":"ref_14","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1537430","DOI":"10.1080\/10872981.2018.1537430","article-title":"Contemporary global perspectives of medical students on research during undergraduate medical education: A systematic literature review","volume":"23","author":"Stone","year":"2018","journal-title":"Med. Educ. Online"},{"key":"ref_15","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"26","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2923.2011.04136.x","article-title":"Scientist or science-stuffed? Discourses of science in North American medical education","volume":"47","author":"Whitehead","year":"2013","journal-title":"Med. Educ."},{"key":"ref_16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"41","DOI":"10.1002\/bmb.21194","article-title":"The effect and influence of undergraduate research on medical undergraduates in China","volume":"47","author":"Huang","year":"2019","journal-title":"Biochem. Mol. Biol. Educ."},{"key":"ref_17","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Barbosa, J., Severo, M., Fresta, M., Ismail, M., Ferreira, M.A., and Barros, H. (2011). How students perceive medical competences: A cross-cultural study between the medical course in Portugal and African Portuguese Speaking Countries. BMC Med. Educ., 11.","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6920-11-24"},{"key":"ref_18","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"\u00d6cek, Z., Bat\u0131, H., Sezer, E.D., K\u00f6ro\u011flu, \u00d6.A., Y\u0131lmaz, \u00d6., Y\u0131lmaz, N.D., and Mand\u0131rac\u0131o\u011flu, A. (2021). Research training program in a Turkish medical school: Challenges, barriers and opportunities from the perspectives of the students and faculty members. BMC Med. Educ., 21.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-020-02454-1"},{"key":"ref_19","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"216","DOI":"10.1007\/S40037-017-0328-2","article-title":"Scholarly concentration programs and medical student research productivity: A systematic review","volume":"6","author":"Havnaer","year":"2017","journal-title":"Perspect. Med. Educ."},{"key":"ref_20","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"237","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-2929.2004.02078.x","article-title":"Extracurricular research experience of medical students and their scientific output after graduation","volume":"39","author":"Reinders","year":"2005","journal-title":"Med. Educ."},{"key":"ref_21","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"754","DOI":"10.3109\/0142159X.2012.704438","article-title":"Developing research skills in medical students: AMEE Guide No. 69","volume":"34","author":"Laidlaw","year":"2012","journal-title":"Med. Teach."},{"key":"ref_22","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"845","DOI":"10.1001\/jama.286.7.845","article-title":"Clinical Investigators\u2014The endangered species revisited","volume":"286","author":"Miller","year":"2001","journal-title":"JAMA"},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1041","DOI":"10.3109\/0142159X.2016.1150981","article-title":"Medical student perceptions of research and research-orientated careers: An international questionnaire study","volume":"38","author":"Funston","year":"2016","journal-title":"Med. Teach."},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Siemens, D.R., Punnen, S., Wong, J., and Kanji, N. (2010). A survey on the attitudes towards research in medical school. BMC Med. Educ., 10.","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6920-10-4"},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"548","DOI":"10.1126\/science.1140384","article-title":"The pipeline. Benefits of undergraduate research experiences","volume":"316","author":"Russell","year":"2007","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"248","DOI":"10.1007\/S40037-018-0440-Y","article-title":"Future physician-scientists: Could we catch them young? Factors influencing intrinsic and extrinsic motivation for research among first-year medical students","volume":"7","author":"Ommering","year":"2018","journal-title":"Perspect. Med. Educ."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"286","DOI":"10.1007\/s12026-012-8310-x","article-title":"An innovative portfolio of research training programs for medical students","volume":"54","author":"Zier","year":"2012","journal-title":"Immunol. Res."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e1493","DOI":"10.3109\/0142159X.2013.806983","article-title":"Impact of an intercalated BSc on medical student performance and careers: A BEME systematic review: BEME Guide No. 28","volume":"35","author":"Jones","year":"2013","journal-title":"Med. Teach."},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"MacDougall, M., and Riley, S.C. (2010). Initiating undergraduate medical students into communities of research practise: What do supervisors recommend?. BMC Med. Educ., 10.","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6920-10-83"},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"36","DOI":"10.1002\/sce.20173","article-title":"Becoming a scientist: The role of undergraduate research in students\u2019 cognitive, personal, and professional development","volume":"91","author":"Hunter","year":"2007","journal-title":"Sci. Educ."},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1875","DOI":"10.1080\/09500693.2015.1054919","article-title":"Scientific skills as core competences in medical education: What do medical students think?","volume":"37","author":"Ribeiro","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int. J. Sci. Educ."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e152","DOI":"10.3109\/01421591003657493","article-title":"What do medical students understand by research and research skills? Identifying research opportunities within undergraduate projects","volume":"32","author":"Drewery","year":"2010","journal-title":"Med. Teach."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ratte, A., Drees, S., and Schmidt-Ott, T. (2018). The importance of scientific competencies in German medical curricula\u2014The student perspective. BMC Med. Educ., 18.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-018-1257-4"},{"key":"ref_34","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Stockfelt, M., Karlsson, L., and Finizia, C. (2016). Research interest and activity among medical students in Gothenburg, Sweden, a cross-sectional study. BMC Med. Educ., 16.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-016-0749-3"},{"key":"ref_35","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"e4","DOI":"10.36834\/cmej.42084","article-title":"Predictors of medical student interest and confidence in research during medical school","volume":"9","author":"Klowak","year":"2018","journal-title":"Can. Med. Educ. J."},{"key":"ref_36","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"5212","DOI":"10.3402\/meo.v15i0.5212","article-title":"Undergraduate medical research: The student perspective","volume":"15","author":"Burgoyne","year":"2010","journal-title":"Med. Educ. Online"},{"key":"ref_37","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"821","DOI":"10.3109\/0142159X.2012.716181","article-title":"Ten Bologna in Medicine Anno 2012: Experiences of European medical schools that implemented a Bologna two-cycle curriculum\u2014An AMEE-MEDINE2 survey","volume":"34","author":"Patricio","year":"2012","journal-title":"Med. Teach."},{"key":"ref_38","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"316","DOI":"10.3109\/01421590903447716","article-title":"The Bologna process, medical education and integrated learning","volume":"32","author":"Cumming","year":"2010","journal-title":"Med. Teach."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"282","DOI":"10.2310\/JIM.0b013e3181cb42d9","article-title":"Can teaching research methodology influence students\u2019 attitude toward science? Cohort study and non randomized trial in a single medical school","volume":"58","author":"Vujaklija","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Investig. Med."},{"key":"ref_40","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Ommering, B.W.C., Wijnen-Meijer, M., Dolmans, D.H.J.M., Dekker, F.W., and van Blankenstein, F.M. (2020). Promoting positive perceptions of and motivation for research among undergraduate medical students to stimulate future research involvement: A grounded theory study. BMC Med. Educ., 20.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-020-02112-6"},{"key":"ref_41","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Van Wijk, I.J., Daelmans, H.E.M., Wouters, A., Croiset, G., and Kusurkar, R.A. (2018). Exploring the timing of medical student research internships: Before or after clerkships?. BMC Med. Educ., 18.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-018-1367-z"},{"key":"ref_42","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Khan, H., Khawaja, M.R.H., Waheed, A., Rauf, M.A., and Fatmi, Z. (2006). Knowledge and attitudes about health research amongst a group of Pakistani medical students. BMC Med. Educ., 6.","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6920-6-54"},{"key":"ref_43","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"M\u00f6ller, R., and Shoshan, M. (2017). Medical students\u2019 research productivity and career preferences; a 2-year prospective follow-up study. BMC Med. Educ., 17.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-017-0890-7"},{"key":"ref_44","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"310","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMe068143","article-title":"Women in Academic Medicine\u2014Progress and Challenges","volume":"355","author":"Hamel","year":"2006","journal-title":"N. Engl. J. Med."},{"key":"ref_45","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"22832","DOI":"10.3402\/meo.v18i0.22832","article-title":"Integration of scientific research training into undergraduate medical education: A reminder call","volume":"18","author":"Alkattan","year":"2013","journal-title":"Med. Educ. Online"},{"key":"ref_46","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"331","DOI":"10.1126\/science.283.5400.331","article-title":"Physician-scientists\u2014Endangered and essential","volume":"283","author":"Rosenberg","year":"1999","journal-title":"Science"},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"Rajecki, D.W. (1990). Attitudes, Sinauer Associates. [2nd ed.]."},{"key":"ref_48","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"522","DOI":"10.1046\/j.1365-2929.2004.01820.x","article-title":"Attitude change during medical school: A cohort study","volume":"38","author":"Woloschuk","year":"2004","journal-title":"Med. Educ."},{"key":"ref_49","unstructured":"Schacter, D., Gilbert, D., Wegner, D., and Hood, B.M. (2011). Psychology: European Edition, Palgrave Macmillan."},{"key":"ref_50","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1586","DOI":"10.1056\/NEJMp1501440","article-title":"Getting the right medical students--nature versus nurture","volume":"372","author":"Schwartzstein","year":"2015","journal-title":"N. Engl. J. Med."},{"key":"ref_51","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Mills, J.K., Dalleywater, W.J., and Tischler, V. (2014). An assessment of student satisfaction with peer teaching of clinical communication skills. BMC Med. Educ., 14.","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6920-14-217"},{"key":"ref_52","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1235","DOI":"10.1097\/00001888-200312000-00007","article-title":"Teaching students how to read and write science: A mandatory course on scientific research and communication in medicine","volume":"78","year":"2003","journal-title":"Acad. Med."},{"key":"ref_53","unstructured":"The R Development Core Team (2013). A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing, R Foundation for Statistical Computing."},{"key":"ref_54","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"M\u00f6ller, R., and Shoshan, M. (2019). Does reality meet expectations? An analysis of medical students\u2019 expectations and perceived learning during mandatory research projects. BMC Med. Educ., 19.","DOI":"10.1186\/s12909-019-1526-x"},{"key":"ref_55","first-page":"58","article-title":"Knowledge about and attitude towards science of first year medical students","volume":"43","author":"Vodopivec","year":"2002","journal-title":"Croat. Med. J."},{"key":"ref_56","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Scicluna, H.A., Grimm, M.C., Osullivan, A.J., Harris, P., Pilotto, L.S., Jones, P.D., and McNeil, H.P. (2012). Clinical capabilities of graduates of an outcomes-based integrated medical program. BMC Med. Educ., 12.","DOI":"10.1186\/1472-6920-12-23"},{"key":"ref_57","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"27","DOI":"10.1080\/03075070120099359","article-title":"University students\u2019 perceptions of the learning environment and academic outcomes: Implications for theory and practice","volume":"27","author":"Lizzio","year":"2002","journal-title":"Stud. High. Educ."},{"key":"ref_58","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1382","DOI":"10.1097\/ACM.0000000000001859","article-title":"Clinician-investigator training and the need to pilot new approaches to recruiting and retaining this workforce","volume":"92","author":"Hall","year":"2017","journal-title":"Acad. Med."}],"container-title":["Healthcare"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2227-9032\/9\/10\/1357\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T07:12:15Z","timestamp":1760166735000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2227-9032\/9\/10\/1357"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,12]]},"references-count":58,"journal-issue":{"issue":"10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2021,10]]}},"alternative-id":["healthcare9101357"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/healthcare9101357","relation":{},"ISSN":["2227-9032"],"issn-type":[{"type":"electronic","value":"2227-9032"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2021,10,12]]}}}