Research Projects in the Core Curriculum: Do Supervisor and Student Perceptions Align?

Competency frameworks in medical and veterinary medical education highlight the importance of research within curricula to ensure a sound understanding of research and related principles of evidence-based medicine. This study describes topic themes and geographical location of projects carried out by students over a 14-year period as part of a well-embedded research element (the student research component) within a veterinary curriculum. The study explores faculty and student opinions on competences gained, aligned with the American Veterinary Medical Association and Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons core competences, and describes challenges encountered from both perspectives. A survey including items aligned to core research competences was distributed to all final-year students in a veterinary degree program. An aligned survey was distributed to project supervisors. The surveys contained a mixture of Likert scale and free-text items. Thirty-two percent of students and 46% of supervisors completed the survey. Likert scale items were analyzed statistically, and free-text data were coded and analyzed for themes. The study confirms the utility of research projects in supporting the development of core competences; students recognize their potential in highlighting awareness of their own limitations, while supervisors highlight their utility in the development of report writing and critical appraisal skills. Supervisor communication was recognized as a challenge for students, as were time management and generating project ideas. Supervisors considered that critical review and evaluation of evidence competences were developed to a greater extent than did all students in the study. Supervisors considered that students had gained all the research-based competences to a greater extent than graduate students, with the exception of improving their own awareness of their limitations. The study confirms a mismatch in faculty and student opinions on the competences gained through carrying out research projects and the value placed on these projects. Additional success factors are suggested in support of similar curriculum interventions.