Perceptions, Attitudes, and Barriers Towards Research Among Medical Students in the United Arab Emirates: A National Cross-Sectional Study

Ruthwik Duvuru¹Syed Ali Bokhari^2*Mohamed A. Elshafey³Ahmed Hafez Mousa⁴Laila Zarnegar¹Ibrahim Hassan Ibrar⁵Ans Ahmed Mahmood⁵Uvashree Shrinivas⁶Aena Khan⁷Vikas Bansal⁸Stefan S. Du Plessis¹Faisal A. Nawaz²

• ¹College of Medicine, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai Health, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• ²Al Amal Psychiatric Hospital, Emirates Health Services, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• ³College of Medicine, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates
• ⁴Department of Neurosurgery, Graduate Medical Education, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences, Dubai Health, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• ⁵Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
• ⁶Ras Al Khaimah Medical & Health Sciences University College of Medical Sciences, Ras Al-Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
• ⁷College of Medicine, Dubai Medical University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• ⁸WellSpan Health, York, United States

Background Medical research is increasingly recognized as crucial for career progression, prompting institutions to embed research into curricula. Despite these efforts, barriers continue to impede medical students’ engagement in research. This nationwide study explores medical students’ research perceptions, attitudes, and challenges across UAE medical universities, capturing insights from a diverse student population. Methods This cross-sectional study utilized a self-administered questionnaire distributed to medical students enrolled at seven medical colleges across the UAE. Data collection was conducted over six months from May to October 2024. The questionnaire comprised 53 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale and was organized into four key domains: demographics, prior research experience, attitudes towards research, and perceived barriers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to summarize participant characteristics and inferential analyses, including multivariate linear regression, to explore associations and predictors of research attitudes, experiences, and barriers. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results A total of 612 medical students participated (68.8% male; 66.5% pre-clinical). While 68.3% reported prior research experience, only 15.7% had published. Most students agreed research should be integrated into medical curricula (91.0%) and is crucial for careers (88.4%), yet 19.8% found existing curricula insufficient. Primary barriers included lack of funding (46.4%), insufficient mentorship (35.6%), statistical skills deficits (47.7%), and limited protected research time (39.5%). Younger students (≤21 years) were curriculum vitae (CV)-driven and cited mentorship gaps (p=0.009), while older students (≥24 years) reported funding constraints (p<0.001) but achieved higher publication rates (p=0.001). Males more frequently reported financial barriers (p=0.007); females cited limited mentorship (p=0.044). Senior students published more (p<0.001) but struggled with balancing research with academics (p<0.001). Multivariate regression identified age, research barriers, nationality, medical college, cumulative grade point average (CGPA), and prior publication as significant predictors of research attitudes and participation (all p<0.05). Conclusion Medical students in the UAE demonstrate positive attitudes toward research but face significant structural barriers, including inadequate funding, limited mentorship opportunities, and insufficient institutional support. Early structured research training, formal mentorship programs, and protected research time are essential interventions. Institutions should embed these elements longitudinally to cultivate a robust research culture and enhance undergraduate research outputs.