A Questionnaire Survey on Awareness of Clinical Trials Among Medical Students
Amberkar Mohanbabu Vittalrao1,  Meena Kumari K1, K. Seema Kumari2, Rupam Gill3 and Serene Rose Thomson4

1Department of Pharmacology, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.

2Department of Anaesthesiology, Sapthagiri Institute of medical Sciences, Bangalore, India.

3Department of Pharmacology, Lady Hardinge Medical College,University of Delhi, New Delhi 110001, India.

4Drug Safety Physician, APCER Life Sciences, Ahmedabad, 380006, Gujarat, India.

Corresponding Author E-mail: mini41178@yahoo.co.in

Abstract: There is an immense need to inculcate research in the medical curriculum of undergraduate medical students, which will help them to interpret the evidence based literature like journal articles, analyze, interpret & to help their decision making ability. Involvement in innovative research will help them develop a holistic attitude towards the patients especially in terms of informed consent and ethical decisions. This study a questionnaire survey was conducted on undergraduate medical students. It consists of statements spread over various aspects of clinical trials. The percentage of questions answered correctly in each group was graded as good, average and poor depending on scores. A total of 257 students participated in the study. Students had average knowledge about statements describing concept, need of clinical trial, participation, about Food and Drug Administration, informed consent had average knowledge. The response was poor for statements on Institutional Review Board (IRB) and Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The medical undergraduates are future innovators, clinicians and scientific explorers. It would be better if they are trained at earlier days of learning about clinical trials/research and medical ethics these can be made a part of medical curriculum so that they can build their concrete future.

Keywords: Awareness; Clinical Trial; Research; Undergraduate

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