Perception of scientific skills in Peruvian students of Human Medicine

Introduction: Scientific skills are a crucial foundation in the medical profession and should be addressed during undergraduate studies in universities and programs. Despite the necessity of acquiring such knowledge, evidence suggests its scarcity among medical professionals. This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of the perception of scientific skills among students of Human Medicine in Peru and their associated factors. Methods: This was an observational-analytical, cross-sectional study. Data were gathered from a secondary database created from the registration form of a virtual course conducted in 2022. The study population comprised students of Human Medicine from Peruvian universities enrolled in the aforementioned course. Associated factors were assessed using Poisson regressions with robust variances. Results: Out of 750 surveyed students (mean age 22.7 ± 3.2 years), 27.6, 21.6, 25.5, and 20% reported a good perception of their skills in information retrieval, critical reading, research methodology, and scientific writing, respectively. The type of university attended and belonging to a scientific society or research group were associated with a 6% to 16% higher prevalence of these scientific skills. Conclusion: There were low levels of perceived scientific skills, especially in writing and critical reading. Furthermore, being part of or having access to an environment that fosters research was associated with a positive perception of scientific skills.