Perceived Educational Value and Enjoyment of Mandatory Research Assignment by Final-Year Veterinary Medicine Students

The popularity of undergraduate research programs in medical curricula has grown during the last decade. The aims of this prospective e-survey study were to investigate perceived educational value and enjoyment of mandatory research assignment by final-year veterinary medicine students, and to identify potential action points to improve the undergraduate research experience.

An online questionnaire composed of 19 best-answer multiple choice questions was developed with dedicated software using the Checklist for Reporting Results of Internet E-Surveys. The questionnaire could be accessed via either a hyperlink or a QR code and was distributed to a total of 121 students graduated during the academic years 2023 to 2024 and 2024 to 2025. Data from 52 students were analyzed, using descriptive statistics and analysis of proportions. The Cronbach's alpha test was utilized to assess internal consistency of the questionnaire items.

There was a positive association between the approachability/availability of supervisors and perceived clarity of both the assignment and expectations (P = .005). Half of the students (26 of 52, 50%) "somewhat agreed" that the project was a good opportunity to learn about research methodology and deepen their knowledge of an interesting topic. Only 4 of 52 (8%) of the students "strongly agreed" that the final compulsory oral presentation was a good opportunity to practice talking for an audience. Feedback from their supervisor was received at completion of the research assignment only by 31 of 52 (60%) students. The most suggested action point to improve undergraduate research experience was to make available a list of potential project titles (17 of 40, 43%).

Our findings suggest that the undergraduate research experience was often undermined by time pressures and limited supervisory engagement. Key areas for improvement include clearer guidance, improved supervisor engagement, consistent delivery of constructive feedback, and offering predefined research topics to support students with limited research experience.