Students’ perception of Research-Led Teaching

A Umbetzhanova, Gulmira Derbissalina, Natalya Zemlyanskaya, Zhanagul Bekbergenova, Dina Akhmetova, Vitaliy Koikov, Elmira Kelimberdiyeva

2026

Full text Open access: Gold Metadata (CSL-JSON)
DOI 10.32921/2663-1776-2026-61-2-jhd065
Data confidence 70 medium
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Abstract

The shift from teacher-centered to student-centered learning has emphasized the importance of active educational strategies in medical education. Research-based learning (RBL), particularly research-led teaching (RLT), integrates scientific evidence into the learning process and promotes the development of critical thinkingand evidence-based practice. The aimof the study:To assess undergraduate students’ perceptions of research-based learning as a teaching method in the discipline “Internal Medicine in General Practice”.Methods.A research-led teaching approach was implemented among 5th-year medical students during supervised independent study sessions over one academic year. The methodology included analysis of real clinical cases, formulation of PICO questions, literature search, critical appraisal of evidence, andgroup presentations. A 7-item Likert-scale questionnaire was used to evaluate students’ perceptions. Internal consistency was high (Cronbach’s α=0.92 in pilot group; 0.79 overall). A total of 1008 students participated.Results. Data were non-normally distributed. Students demonstrated a highly positive perception of RLT, with mean scores exceeding 4.3 across all items. The highest ratings were observed for reinforcement of theoretical knowledge (94.3%) and improved understanding of the material (92.2%). Between 86.1% and 94.3% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that RLT enhanced motivation, critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.Conclusions. Research-led teaching is perceived as an effective educational approach in clinical medical education. It enhances knowledge retention, promotes research competencies, and fosters critical thinking, supporting the integration of evidence-based practice into future clinical work.Keywords:research-led teaching,research-based learning,medical education,student perception,evidence-based medicine,active learning,critical thinking.