Scientific training in the School of Medicine, Universidad de la República, Uruguay:
10 years since the incorporation of the Scientific Methodology II course
Abstract
In 2008, the current curriculum of the School of Medicine at Universidad de la República (Uruguay) was approved, incorporating courses aimed at strengthening scientific training. Within the course “Scientific Methodology II”, students must carry out a research project supervised by faculty members from various disciplines. This study describes the characteristics and evolution of the monographs developed between 2014 and 2023.
A total of 988 monographs published in the Colibri repository were reviewed. Variables included year of completion, participating departments, type of monograph, study design, medical topic, and alignment with the National Health Objectives (NHO) 2020 and 2030. Descriptive statistics were used. Of the total, 731 were original studies (74%), 240 were narrative reviews, and 17 were systematic reviews. Most studies were descriptive (582) and cross-sectional (459), followed by 147 prospective longitudinal studies. Participation of
clinical and surgical departments grew steadily. The most frequent topics were “Neoplasms” and “Factors influencing health status”, with a notable number addressing non-communicable chronic diseases.
Student scientific output was diverse, predominantly composed of original, descriptive, and cross-sectional studies, which likely reflects the course structure. The low proportion of studies focused on priority health issues such as cancer and chronic diseases represents an opportunity to better align student research with national health goals. This is the first systematic analysis of a decade of student scientific production in this course.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Santiago Mansilla, Natalia Altez, Giannina Agustoni, Elisa Baltar, Natalia Rodríguez, Florencia Velázquez, Matías Zanolli, Rafael Radi, Carlos Zunino, Mariela Garau, Silvina Bartesaghi
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