Research Ethics Training Content and Format for Medical Students: A Critical Gap Analysis Based on the Importance-Performance Method

Abstract

Background

As research ethics becomes increasingly critical in medical education, current training approaches for medical students in China often remain didactic and lack interactive, practical components. This study employed Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) to systematically evaluate both the content and formats of research ethics training, aiming to identify key gaps and priorities for curricular improvement.

Participants and methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted from July 22 to August 4, 2024 among 625 medical students in Taizhou, Zhejiang.

Results

The majority of respondents (89.0%) expressed willingness to engage in research ethics training. IPA revealed that six of the seven research ethics content themes fell into the “Concentrate Here” quadrant, indicating high importance but low performance. Ethical review processes showed the largest gap between importance and perceived performance. In terms of format, training during internships was considered the most important and effective approach.

Conclusion

Current research ethics education emphasizes theory over practical competence. Training should be redesigned to focus on ethical review processes and integrate internship-based, hands-on learning.