# What is medical education research? An analysis and definition of subjects, objectives and types of research based on articles that have undergone a peer review process

## TL;DR

This paper clarifies the goals and types of medical education research by analyzing peer-reviewed articles and developing categories for subjects, objectives, and research types.

## Contribution

The study introduces new, specific categories for MER subjects, objectives, and types, improving clarity and reducing ambiguity.

## Key findings

- 169 articles were analyzed to identify 11 subject categories and 8 research objectives.
- Four distinct types of research were defined as relevant to medical education.
- The new categories offer more precise definitions than previous systems.

## Abstract

Medical education research (MER) seeks to contribute to the scientific knowledge in this area and to the further development of educational practice. However, the lack of relevance of the studies conducted in this field has been criticized for years. The present work therefore aims to clarify the tasks and objectives of MER and the nature of research in this area. To this end, the subjects, objectives, and types of research that are common to MER are analyzed and categories for these are developed.

The categories for research subjects and research objectives were developed iteratively in three phases with multiple rounds based on samples of peer-reviewed articles. Depending on the round, two to six people were involved in the independent categorization, finding mutual consent, and further development of the categories. At the same time, research types were defined for MER.

169 articles were assessed. Eleven subject categories and eight categories of research objectives were identified, and four types of research were defined as relevant.

The categories found for research subjects partly coincide with existing category systems but also broaden them. The research objectives identified are more specific than they have been before, which limits the scope for interpretation.

The category systems developed can help to define the subjects and objectives of medical education research more precisely and to differentiate between the research types and their significance. In addition, trends and temporary phenomena can also be depicted using the categories found.