Attitudes to research and research training among ophthalmologists and ophthalmology trainees in New Zealand

Purpose: To determine the attitudes to research and research training among ophthalmologists and ophthalmology trainees in New Zealand. Methods: A structured, self-administered questionnaire was devised and after preliminary validation a postal survey was sent to all ophthalmologists and ophthalmology registrars and fellows in New Zealand. Results: A total of 82 replies were received from 115 questionnaires sent out; a response rate of 71.3%. An overwhelming majority found research to have benefited their education, clinical practice and career; 67.1% of the respondents intended to do research in the future. Although a majority (56.4%) felt research to be beneficial to ophthalmology training, 42.3% felt research would be of limited or no benefit when selecting candidates for vocational training. However, 97.5% of respondents felt that ophthalmology trainees should undertake some form of research during training, with most supporting small studies or case reports (44.4%) or a short structured training course in research (42.0%). Interestingly, 86.6% felt that research methodology and data analysis should be taught in a structured fashion with most supporting courses or seminars of a few weeks duration during the vocational training period. Many ophthalmologists felt inadequately equipped or trained to mentor and supervise trainees undertaking research and 41.5% of consultant ophthalmologists felt further training to fulfil this role would be beneficial. Conclusions: This survey suggests that New Zealand ophthalmologists generally approve of and support a place for research, possibly of a more structured design, during ophthalmology training.