Research Participation During a National Educational Disruption: Insights From a Natural Experiment in Medical...

Immersive research experiences are widely recognized as valuable for medical students. However, opportunities for extended research are often constrained by dense curricula. In 2024, the Republic of Korea experienced an inevitable nationwide suspension of medical education for about one year, allowing some students to engage in full-time research. From this unique situation, the present study aimed to explore the medical students' motivations for research participation, their self-perceived outcomes, and the types of institutional support they have identified as necessary to ensure equitable engagement.

A mixed-methods design was employed. Survey 1 collected data from the entire student body during the leave of absence to investigate research participation rates and support needs. Survey 2 examined the research experiences of students who conducted full-time research. Focus group interviews were conducted with purposively selected student representatives, and the integrated results were analyzed thematically.

A total of 99 students responded to the survey (response rate: 16.9%), and 25 (25.3%) reported participating in research during their leave of absence. Students motivated by intrinsic interest engaged for longer periods and reported greater self-perceived competency gains, particularly in data analysis and communication, whereas non-participants most often cited barriers to access and a need for more structured information. Thematic analysis of focus group interviews underscored the pivotal role of mentorship, early curricular exposure, and faculty role modeling.

Full-time, faculty-supervised research during an educational disruption provided transformative learning opportunities across motivation types. Embedding structured, early research exposure into the curriculum and ensuring transparent access to opportunities may enhance equity, strengthen professional identity formation, and support the sustainability of the clinician-scientist pipeline.