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Is Research Fun? A Survey of Osteopathic Medical Students

Journal: Journal of Osteopathic Medicine Date: 2025/12, 125(12):Pages: A647–649. doi: Subito , type of study: cross sectional study

Full text    (https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/jom-2025-2000/html)

Keywords:

cross sectional study [867]
medical students [666]
osteopathic medicine [2064]
research [463]
USA [1717]

Abstract:

Context: Critically appraising scientific literature is a foundational skill for physicians and an increasingly common expectation of osteopathic medical students [1]. In response, many osteopathic medical schools have expanded research opportunities to support residency preparation and academic development. While these efforts have improved access, less attention has been paid to how students experience research, and what drives their sustained engagement. Current literature explores how to make education more enjoyable, but rarely addresses research-specific experiences [2, 3]. This gap limits our ability to understand or influence learner motivation over time. Fun—a positive emotional experience arising from active engagement in enjoyable tasks—has been identified as a key factor in sustaining motivation. When research is experienced as fun, students are more likely to stay engaged, persist through challenges, and return to it voluntarily. Understanding what makes research fun for students may offer valuable insights into how to foster lasting involvement in scholarly activity within osteopathic medical education. Objective: This study explored factors that contributed to perceptions of research as fun or not fun among osteopathic medical students and recent graduates of Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine. Methods: We developed a survey assessing students’ experiences of fun in research based on a conceptual model developed through a systematic scoping review of fun in education [4]. Pilot testing was conducted with a group of osteopathic medical students to evaluate response time, item clarity, and the quality of responses. Pilot responses prompted minor changes to improve phrasing, and no concerns regarding question comprehension were identified. The final instrument contained 40 multiple choice questions and 2 short answer questions. The survey was distributed to students and recent graduates of Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine via email, instant message, digital and printed flyers, and direct outreach. Data collection occurred from May 8th, 2025, to June 2nd, 2025. Free-response data were analyzed thematically, and quantitative responses were analyzed descriptively. Results: Survey invitations were given to 585 osteopathic medical students. Among the 133 respondents (22.7% response rate), 15 (88.7%) participated in research prior to medical school and 131 (98.5%) participated in research during medical school. A total of 85 respondents (63.9%) replied that research was at least “somewhat fun”, and 91 (68.4%) answered that they at least “somewhat agree” with the statement “I like doing research”. Additionally, 97 (72.9%) reported that, if given the time and opportunity, they would be more involved in research. When asked what made research fun, respondents most commonly cited contributing to knowledge development, working with others, problem solving, critical thinking, and learning new skills when asked what makes research fun for them. Conversely, research was perceived as not fun when it involved compulsory participation, tedious work, challenges with completing experiments, difficulty with collecting data or publishing results, and high time commitment. Conclusion: Osteopathic medical students at Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine reported generally positive experiences with research and expressed interest in greater involvement when given adequate time and opportunity. Their reflections on what makes research enjoyable vs. unenjoyable highlight the importance of understanding learner perceptions to improve participation and support the development of a durable scholarly identity. Positioning fun as a meaningful factor in research engagement may offer a practical and underused strategy for cultivating sustained research involvement and advancing the scholarly growth of future osteopathic physicians.


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