Research-related attitudes among Chinese medicine students at a Canadian college: a mixed-methods study

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have suggested that American Chinese medicine students’ research interest declines as their training progresses. Many students further express low confidence in the congruence (‘model validity’) of bioscientific research methods in relation to the Chinese medicine paradigm. However, prior research has not assessed the impacts of research-related coursework on student perspectives in this regard. METHODS: First-, second- and third-year Chinese medicine students were surveyed regarding their research-related views. Final year students were re-surveyed after completing the research course. Qualitative analyses of the participating students’ coursework were also undertaken. RESULTS: Over 80% of all participants showed high research interest and engagement, and viewed research as both relevant to clinical practice and important for the profession’s socioeconomic legitimation. Male students were significantly more likely to view scientific evidence as improving the quality of Chinese medicine care (p = 0.021). A view that conventional research methods have low model validity for Chinese medicine interventions was higher among third year students than those in their first or second years of study (p = 0.001). Research coursework appeared to increase self-assessed research interest and skill. Concern regarding model validity was strongly evident in student coursework. CONCLUSION: Research-related curricular interventions in the Chinese medicine field should directly address model validity, as it is of significant interest to a majority of students.