Undergraduate research competence: Perceptions of students and professors in health sciences

Abstract

Introduction: Research plays a pivotal role within the university setting, fostering critical pedagogy among both students and educators. This study aims to elucidate
the perception of competency acquisition across three health sciences programs.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted at a higher education institution, encompassing 60 nursing students, 34 psychology students, and 55 veterinary medicine students, along with 31, 29, and 31 professors, respectively, from these programs.
Results: Research is acknowledged as a significant facet by both students and professors, with 85% of educators concurring that it constitutes a cross-cutting
competence. Challenges encountered in the teaching process pertain to data processing, analysis, and Excel-based graphing (13%), as well as utilizing technology for data analysis (14%), and composing research-based texts (10%).
Students also noted these challenges to a lesser degree.
Discussion and conclusions: The study's findings underscore the importance of furthering research integration into undergraduate education, despite some accepted research-oriented practices among both students and educators.