Programa de formación en investigación en una residencia de medicina familiar y comunitaria de Argentina

Introduction Since 2011, we have implemented a research training program in the Family and Community Medicine Residency (RMFyC) at a private university hospital, with two main components: the requirement to present a final research project (TFI) to obtain the specialist degree and a system of personalized mentoring. The objective of this study is to compare the number of original research studies published in peer-reviewed journals before and after the implementation of the program. Materials and MethodsRetrospective cohort study. Through a self-administered questionnaire and a bibliographic search in PubMed, LILACS, and Google Scholar, we identified the number of former RMFyC residents who led an original research study during their residency and successfully published it in a peer-reviewed journal, both before and after the program's implementation. ResultsWe included 115 residents who graduated from the RMFyC between 1993 and 2023. A total of 41 studies were published, of which 25 (61%) were in MEDLINE-indexed journals and 16 in other less prominent databases. Regarding methodology, 30 studies (73.2%) used a quantitative approach, predominantly cross-sectional observational studies, questionnaire validations, or cohort studies; 9 (22%) were qualitative, and 2 (4.9%) used a mixed-methods approach. The training program was associated with a 3.39-fold increase in the likelihood of publishing a study in a peer-reviewed journal (95% CI: 1.91 to 6.03) and an increase in the number of annual publications. The level of involvement in research activities and the perceived level of support were high. Former residents highlighted strengths of the program, including its practical approach and personalized mentoring, as well as areas for improvement, such as deepening training in qualitative research. Discussion and ConclusionThe implementation of the program was associated with a significant increase in the proportion of residents leading original research studies and successfully publishing them in peer-reviewed journals.