A scientific methodology course for advanced medical students: an eight-year perspective

Background: Exponential increases in the development of medical knowledge, the expansion of areas where medicine develops its activities, the emergence of new pathologies ( e.g., COVID-19), novel diagnostic methods and therapeutic strategies, together with the appearance of multiple communication and information technologies, determined that the education of future physicians required targeted training in scientific methodology. Methods: The design and execution of a course in scientific methodology in the curriculum of Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay, is described. The course is carried out at an advanced stage of the medical studies for all the students, in which they develop a 10-month research project supervised by the medical school faculty. Students undergo all stages of a research endeavor: generation of hypothesis, elaboration of a research protocol, submission to the Research Ethics and Animal Welfare Committees, data recollection, analysis, interpretation and publication of the results. Results: The course is undertaken at the Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Uruguay, the main university of the country, with high numbers of students enrolled. The course involves the participation of 600 students and up to 300 professors per year, which implies a huge institutional effort Conclusions: The scientific methodology course resulted in one of the most important incorporations of the current 2008 curriculum. Local students, faculty and international evaluators have qualified this activity as an educational breakthrough, being a gratifying and productive experience. The course represented the first exposure of medical students to the research methodology, scientific literature and publication rules, and emphasized the dynamic nature of medical knowledge within modern medical education. Moreover, for some students it constituted the onset of academic research careers. An additional positive outcome was the reactivation of some faculty research projects, in a way that largely exceeded the boundaries of the course.