Abstract
Rigorous medical education research is critical to effectively develop and evaluate
the training we provide our learners. Yet many clinical medical educators lack the
training and skills needed to conduct high-quality medical education research. We
offer guidance on conducting sound quantitative medical education research. Our aim
is to equip readers with the key skills and strategies necessary to conduct successful
research projects, highlighting new concepts and controversies in the field. We utilize
Glassick's criteria for scholarship as a framework to discuss strategies to ensure
that the research question of interest is worthy of further study and how to use existing
literature and conceptual frameworks to strengthen a research study. Through discussions
of the strengths and limitations of commonly used study designs, we expose the reader
to particular nuances of these decisions in medical education research and discuss
outcomes generally focused on, as well as strategies for determining the significance
of consequent findings. We conclude with information on critiquing research findings
and preparing results for dissemination to a broad audience. Practical planning worksheets
and comprehensive tables illustrating key concepts are provided in order to guide
researchers through each step of the process. Medical education research provides
wonderful opportunities to improve how we teach our learners, to satisfy our own intellectual
curiosity, and ultimately to enhance the care provided to patients.
Keywords
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Article Info
Publication History
Published online: November 05, 2017
Accepted:
October 26,
2017
Received in revised form:
October 3,
2017
Received:
January 24,
2017
Footnotes
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
Identification
Copyright
Copyright © 2018 by Academic Pediatric Association
