# Perceptions of faculty and medical students regarding an undergraduate research culture activity in Myanmar: a qualitative study

## TL;DR

This study examines how a research program at a Myanmar medical university is perceived by students and faculty, highlighting its benefits and challenges.

## Contribution

The study provides insights into the effectiveness and challenges of an undergraduate research culture activity in a resource-limited setting.

## Key findings

- Participants gained improved understanding of scientific literature and practical research skills.
- Challenges included limited research preparedness, scheduling conflicts, and weak coordination with clinicians.
- Suggestions for improvement include clearer guidelines, pre-research training, and stronger supervision.

## Abstract

This study explored the perceptions of faculty members and third-year medical students regarding the research culture activity (RCA), a program designed to engage undergraduates in research at the University of Medicine, Mandalay, Myanmar. It aimed to identify the knowledge, attitudes, and skills (KAS) gained, the challenges encountered, and suggestions for improvement.

This qualitative study employed 4 semi-structured focus group discussions with 17 third-year medical students and 16 faculty members who participated in the 2020 RCA. Student responses related to KAS were analyzed using a deductive framework approach, while challenges and suggestions were examined through inductive thematic analysis. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim in Burmese, translated into English, and collaboratively coded using Atlas.ti version 9.0.5.

Participants reported improved understanding of scientific literature, greater responsibility, strengthened teamwork, and enhanced practical research skills. Reported challenges included limited research preparedness, scheduling conflicts, inconsistent supervision, financial constraints, and weak coordination with inpatient clinicians. Participants also suggested clearer guidelines, pre-research training, protected time, stronger supervision, and institutional budgetary support.

The RCA provides substantial educational value in developing research competencies and remains a promising, potentially adaptable model for resource-limited settings. Its sustainability will depend on institutional commitment, supervisory capacity, and modest financial investment. Future research should prospectively assess KAS outcomes, compare supervision models and group sizes, evaluate digital workflows for efficiency, and conduct long-term follow-up of graduates’ scholarly activities to build evidence for scalable implementation.