Domestic Research of Medical Students Trends Analysis

Lee, Aehwa

Abstract

This study explored medical students' major research topics and research methods by analyzing 184 academic articles pertaining to the characteristics of medical students from 2007 to 2017. Results showed many papers dealing with medical students' emotional and cognitive aspects, student counseling, clinical practice education, and curriculum management. According to the medical education accreditation board, research trends were found mostly in the student and curriculum areas of learner characteristics, medical humanities, student counseling, clinical practice education, and curriculum management. Common research topics have been steadily increasing since the introduction of the evaluation accreditation standard in 2012. Medical students predominantly used quantitative research methods for the studies. In the future, it is necessary to ensure that research topics such as CQI, digital- and performance-based clinical practice, and convergent curriculum within the Fourth Industrial Revolution are being studied. In addition, it is crucial to investigate learners' unique, dynamic, and qualitative characteristics through qualitative and mixed methods.