Aligning Roles and Responsibilities: Perspectives of Medical Students and Supervisors in Undergraduate Research

Abstract Active participation of medical students in research activities enables their understanding of research methods and the benefits that research can provide them as both researchers and clinicians. Differing expectations on the part of the student and supervisor regarding their relative roles and expected contribution can influence the achievement of learning outcomes and quality of the research project. Here we explore the expectations of medical students and supervisors regarding the roles and responsibilities of both parties during the completion of an undergraduate medical research project. Employing a mixed methods design, the CREDIT URE tool, which defines, and measures roles performed by undergraduate students working in research placements, was completed by 226 medical students and their project supervisors. Q-methodology was then used to examine perspectives of students and supervisors on their relative responsibilities. Q-set data were analysed using a by-person factor analysis to group participants with shared viewpoints. Using the CREDIT URE tool, students and their project supervisors rated writing of the original draft article, visualisation, data curation, formal analysis, and investigation as the most common roles and those with the highest level of student responsibility. In the Q methodology study, a five-factor solution (i.e. profiles) provided the best fit for the data collected from 25 participants (16 student, 9 supervisors), explaining 55% of the variance. Each profile describes a shared viewpoint on project roles. We characterized the profiles as ‘student-driven’, ‘supervisor as guide and overseer’, ‘self-motivated student’, ‘supervisor involved only as needed – skills development’ and ‘supervisor as editor’. Medical schools increasingly emphasise research competencies as part of undergraduate education. These data are expected to lead to the development of clear supervision frameworks and role descriptions, and by extension may inform the design of undergraduate medical research modules or project guidelines.