Abstract

LORIA-CASTELLANOS, Jorge; PEREZ CUEVAS, René Omar  and  MARQUEZ AVILA, Guadalupe. Characteristics of theses in an emergency postgraduate course held in a Mexican medical center (1991-2004) . Educ Med Super [online]. 2006, vol.20, n.2. ISSN 0864-2141.

Objectives: To describe the characteristics of the preparation of theses in the emergency postgraduate course held in a medical center in Mexico. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study in which all the theses submitted at an emergency postgraduate course given at Regional General Hospital 25 of Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social were analyzed (1191-2004). The possibility of finishing the thesis paper, the type of research, the study topic, the formation of advisers and the different forms of dissemination (presentations, publications, etc.) were examined. Results: 96.3 % of graduates fulfilled the requirement of submitting a thesis; 57.5 % of these papers were handed in after the residency study period. The main cause of delay was lack of interest or the obstacles put by the advisers (23.91 %). Epidemiological theses (51,25 %) predominated. The most researched topics were digestive pathology, resuscitation and quality (13.73 % each). Twenty seven papers were submitted at congresses (15 national and 12 international) but only three papers have been published, one as abstract and the other in full text. 56.25 % of advisers to thesis were medical experts and researchers whose specialties were mainly Internal Medicine (47.50 %) and Emergencies (46,25 %). Conclusions: The research activity in the Emergency postgraduate course has been so far poor. It is essential to promote research work of good quality among residents and emergency professors

Keywords : Research; scientific production; postgraduate course; emergencies; thesis.