Attitude, Knowledge, and Experience of Research Work of the Supporting Medical Personnel in Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital

Abstract

Objectives: To study the attitude, knowledge, and experience of research work of supporting medical personnel in Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital. Obstacles to do research work and supports needed from the faculty were also investigated.

Methods: This cross sectional study included all supporting medical personnel who practiced in Faculty of Medicine Vajira Hospital during October 1, 2012 and November 30, 2012. Characteristics of the subjects, their attitude, knowledge and experience, obstacle, supports relevant to conduct a research were collected by self-answering questionnaires constructed by the research group.

Results: One hundred and forty three medical personnel (76.9% of all 186 supporting medical personnel working in
the institution during the study period) enrolled into the study. About 29% were pharmacist while 22.4% were
medical technicians. The remainings were dentists, dental assistants, physical therapists, scientists, scientist
assistants, radiation technologists, occupational therapists and psychologist. About one-fifth (20.3%) were
male while 79.7% were female. The mean age was 37.9 ± 9.4 years (20-60 years). Quality improvement of
the work unit (66.4%) was the main objective to do the research followed by a raise in salary or a career-path
promotion (60.8%). Slightly less than one third of the supporting medical personnel (30.2%) aimed to do the
research within the next 1-2 years. Less than one half of the personnel (42.7%) had ever had training in
research methodology course wherein most of the training were short-course ≤ 1 week. Nearly two thirds
(64.0%) were confident to conduct the research but with some support from research mentors. Regarding the
research experience, 41.9% got involved in some research works, 13.3% had published articles in the past 2
years with 8.4% being the first author. Inadequate time or too much workload was the most common obstacle
to do research work. The most common support that the subjects needed was assistance in statistical analysis,
followed by English literacy writing and preparing the manuscript for publication.

Conclusion: Most supporting medical personnel conducted a research because of the requirement to improve quality
of the work unit or a career-path promotion. Despite less than one half of the personnel had a formal research
knowledge from training, nearly two thirds were confident to conduct the research but with some support from
research mentors. Less than half had ever had experience or involved in the research.