[Evaluation of an introductory course on research methodology for healthcare trainees: ten years of experience and curricular adaptations]

Abstract

Introduction: Critical biomedical reading is essential in the training of health professionals.

Objectives: Narrate a decade of experience in the redesign and implementation of an introductory course on research methodology for health residents and fellows at a University Hospital.

Methodology: The objective of the course is to acquire skills for critical reading and tools to plan research projects. The educational model evolved from face-to-face meetings and theoretical classes (2015-2018) to synchronous online (2019-2021) and finally to asynchronous online (2022-2024), incorporating new technological and hypermedia resources, offering greater flexibility and autonomy to the student. The type of evaluation was also modified, from individual multiple-choice and oral exams in small groups, with presentations on critical reading of biomedical literature, to a similar but synchronous format. Finally, they were replaced by individual activities with automatic feedback and an asynchronous activity in small groups where the analysis of the clinical research article is accompanied by questions that guide its interpretation, with personalized feedback. At the end of the course, a survey was sent to the participants to collect feedback and make continuous improvements to the program.

1,073 participants were included, 66.1% women. There were no changes in the composition of the cohorts (sex and type of residence), 87.1% (95% CI 84.9 to 89.1%) completed and passed the course. An increasing and statistically significant trend was observed in the proportion of approved students from the 2015-2018 cohort to the 2022-2024 cohort (p < 0.001). The sustained increase in participants who completed and passed the course with the passing of the cohorts and the high satisfaction of the participants demonstrate the effectiveness of the methodological adaptations.