“I am pleased to introduce a relevant and insightful article titled “Evaluating a research methodology workshop among postgraduate students using Kirkpatrick’s model,” authored by Debata, Nayak, Ahmed, Behera, and Padhee, and published in the Journal of Education and Health Promotion in 2024.
This study addresses a critical need in medical education: In the current era of evidence-based medicine, systematic research is fundamental for providing judicious and precise healthcare. However, many medical professionals lack the confidence and competence to conduct research, partly due to a limited research-based curriculum in undergraduate courses. Recognizing this gap, the National Medical Council has emphasized the necessity of formal research methodology training for healthcare professionals. Research methodology workshops are specifically designed to familiarize participants with the essential aspects of basic, clinical, and translational research, which are vital for optimal patient care.
The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a research methodology workshop conducted for first-year postgraduate students. The evaluation systematically assessed participants’ knowledge, feedback, and the anticipated impact of the workshop.
Methodology: The researchers employed a quasi-experimental, single-group study design with a pre- and posttest component. The study involved 132 first-year postgraduate students from various residency courses at the Kalinga Institute of Medical Sciences. To comprehensively evaluate the workshop’s outcomes, the study applied Kirkpatrick’s four-level evaluation model. This model assesses:
- Level 1 (Reaction): Participant satisfaction, measured using a 5-point Likert scale, covering aspects like the quality of sessions, expertise of resource persons, teaching media, evaluation methods, and overall organization.
- Level 2 (Learning): The knowledge gained, assessed by comparing pre-workshop and post-workshop scores from 20 multiple-choice questions on research methodology.
- Level 3 (Behavior): Changes in behavior, evaluated by the quality of research proposals drafted by participants for their theses.
- Level 4 (Results): The overall impact, estimated by the number of successful submissions of research manuscripts within three months post-workshop, with the quality assessed by the institute’s research committee.
Key Findings: The study yielded significant positive results:
- High Participant Satisfaction: A remarkable 82% of participants rated the workshop sessions as excellent, with an additional 15% rating them as good. Strengths highlighted included the quality of sessions, content, and hands-on experience, with topics on ethics and literature review search being particularly well-liked.
- Significant Knowledge Improvement: There was a statistically significant improvement in participants’ knowledge after the workshop, with a P-value of <0.001 for the difference between pre- and posttest scores. Mean scores increased from 10.55 ± 2.537 (pretest) to 12.43 ± 2.484 (posttest).
- Positive Behavioral Changes and Results:
- 81% of participants correctly drafted their research proposals according to existing research guidelines.
- 92% of participants successfully submitted their research manuscripts within three months of the workshop, fulfilling the critical appraisal checklist for different study designs.
Conclusion and Implications: The study concluded that the research methodology workshop was highly effective, leading to an improvement in participants’ knowledge and performance. The workshop successfully met the learners’ requirements, addressing their queries and significantly aiding them in becoming more competent and confident in conducting research. The findings underscore the crucial role of participant feedback for continuous improvement of such workshops and highlight the importance of structured training and mentorship in shaping future researchers. This type of organized workshop is an “imminent need” for healthcare professionals to enhance research skills for providing evidence-based optimal healthcare.”
APA Reference: Debata, I., Nayak, S., Ahmed, S., Behera, B. K., & Padhee, S. (2024). Evaluating a research methodology workshop among postgraduate students using Kirkpatrick’s model. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 13, 88. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_1026_23
