Knowledge and awareness among dental and life science students towards research: A questionnaire based cross-sectional study

Narmadha C 1, *, Saraswathi Gopal K 2, Srividhya S 3, Kulasekar C 3, 4, Kalaiselvi R 5 and Sumithra A 6

1 Senior Lecturer, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Adhiparasakthi dental college and hospital, Melmaruvathur, Tamil Nadu, India.
2 Professor and Head of the Department, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College, Tamil Nadu, India.
3 Associate professor, Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College, Tamil Nadu, India.
4 MPH scholar, Indian council of medical research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India.
5 Oral medicine and radiologist, Private Dental Practitioner, Thiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, India.
6 Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Meenakshi Ammal Dental College, Tamil Nadu, India.
 
Research Article
International Journal of Science and Research Archive, 2024, 12(01), 185–190.
Article DOI: 10.30574/ijsra.2024.12.1.0714
Publication history: 
Received on 13 March 2024; revised on 27 April 2024; accepted on 30 April 2024
 
Abstract: 
The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge and attitudes towards research and explore career interests among dental and life science students following their participation in an internship training program in bioresearch. The materials and methods involved a questionnaire-based survey conducted among CRI (Compulsory rotatory internship) dental students, postgraduate MDS students, and life science students who took part in the internship program organized by the Central Research Laboratory. Prior to the internship, participants were administered the questionnaire. The results revealed an overall research knowledge rate of 66% among participants, with CRI dental students demonstrating a higher rate at 72%. Additionally, 72% of the participants expressed positive views regarding research as a viable career option in their respective fields. This study primarily aimed to analyse research knowledge and attitudes among dental and life science students. Findings indicated a strong interest in research among students, highlighting the importance of targeted training in biomedicine and statistics. In conclusion, the study suggests that tailored training programs focusing on research methodology and statistics would be beneficial for medical and dental students entering the field.
 
Keywords: 
Knowledge; Dental students; Life science students; Research; Attitude
 
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