Enhancing family physicians' clinical research skills at Cairo University: an evaluation of knowledge transfer and perception of an online training.

BACKGROUND

Clinical research is an important academic function for maximizing the health benefits of interventions. This growing field requires creative trials to build expertise for health researchers and practitioners simultaneously.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this research was to assess the impact of clinical research training on the knowledge of family medicine postgraduate trainees.

METHODS

A quasi experimental study was conducted on 49 family medicine master's and MD candidates in the family medicine department, Cairo university. Knowledge about clinical research was assessed before and after enrollment in the "Fundamentals of Clinical Research" online course. The trainees' feedback about the course was assessed using an evaluation form.

RESULTS

49 participants' responses were analyzed. They had a mean (± SD) age of 35.4 (± 8.7) years and 10.2 (± 8.7) years of practice. The majority were female (93.9%). Over 60% were engaged in clinical research projects. Feedback showed high satisfaction and pre-post comparison showed statistically significant increased knowledge scores in most areas, except research questions.

CONCLUSIONS

The "Fundamentals of Clinical Research" training course increased knowledge scores among participants, and high satisfaction was reported. However, further exploration is needed to address the long-term impact on their career benefits and clinical decision skills.