Attitudes of medical graduates of Jimma institute of health sciences towards research programme: A preliminary study

Abstract

Abstract: The attitudes of graduates, who had taken the Medical Doctoral (MD) degree at Jimma Institute of Health Sciences (JIHS), were questioned about their retrospective perceptions of the Research Programme (RP), to determine whether the programme had any influence on the research career of the graduates. The results showed that the graduates hold a high impression on RP after regular association with what they encountered in the work situation. The majority of the respondents regarded the contents of the RP as more valuable (76%) and relevant (74%) to their study in relation to the research linked-demand of the courses and invaluable (72%) to their professional career. Eighty-six percent of the respondents credited the RP with changing their attitude towards research. These retrospective perceptions of the RP match with the benefit reported in other studies of similar programme. The more effective a programme is the better the motivation and the more positive the attitude. From the result of this study, it can be concluded that research programme at the JIHS has a substantial effect on the attitudes of medical graduates. [Ethiop. J. Health Dev. 1997;11(2):103-108]