To Assess Research Awareness Among Undergraduate Health Profession Students: A Cross-sectional Study

Background Research promotes critical thinking and evidence-based practice among health profession students, but awareness and participation in India are understudied, with limited focus on barriers. Objective To evaluate research awareness, participation, and barriers among undergraduate health profession students in India, highlighting discipline-specific differences. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 508 students (MBBS, Pharm-D, B-Pharmacy, BSc Nursing) at Chalmeda Anand Rao Hospital and Vaageswari College of Pharmacy, Karimnagar, India, using a validated questionnaire. The sample was 50% male, with a mean age of 22.3 years. Data were analyzed in SPSS (v.26) using descriptive statistics and chi-square tests. Results Most participants (84.8%) recognized research types, but only 36.4% were familiar with data analysis tools. Research participation was low: 20.3% conducted studies, and 9.1% published. Key barriers included inadequate training (92.9%), funding shortages (80.7%), and limited institutional support (19.3%). MBBS and Pharm-D students demonstrated higher awareness than B-Pharmacy and BSc Nursing peers (p < 0.01). While 88.6% valued research’s role in advancing medical knowledge, only 44.3% felt motivated to engage. Conclusion The gap between research awareness and participation underscores the need for structured training, mentorship, and funding in Indian undergraduate health profession curricula to foster a research-oriented mindset.