Perceptions, attitudes, and barriers toward research among medical students in the United Arab Emirates: a national cross-sectional study.

Background: Medical research is increasingly recognized as crucial for career progression, prompting institutions to embed research into curricula. Despite these efforts, barriers continue to impede medical students' engagement in meaningful research. This comprehensive nationwide study explores medical students' research perceptions, attitudes, and challenges across UAE medical universities, capturing insights from a significant and diverse student population. Methods: This cross-sectional study utilized an online self-administered questionnaire distributed to medical students enrolled at seven medical colleges across the UAE. Data collection was conducted over 6 months from May to October 2024. The questionnaire comprised 53 items rated on a 5-point Likert scale and was organized into four key domains: demographics, prior research experience, attitudes toward research, and perceived barriers. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics to summarize participant characteristics and inferential analyses, including multivariate linear regression, to explore associations and predictors of research attitudes, experiences, and barriers. A Results: A total of 612 medical students participated (68.8% male; 66.5% pre-clinical). While 68.3% reported prior research experience, only 15.7% had published. Most students agreed research should be integrated into medical curricula (91.0%) and is crucial for careers (88.4%), yet 19.8% found existing curricula insufficient. Primary barriers included lack of funding (46.4%), insufficient mentorship (35.6%), statistical skills deficits (47.7%), and limited protected research time (39.5%). Younger students (≤ 21 years) were curriculum vitae (CV)-driven and cited mentorship gaps ( Conclusion: Medical students in the UAE demonstrate positive attitudes toward research but face significant structural barriers, including inadequate funding, limited mentorship opportunities, and insufficient institutional support. Early structured research training, formal mentorship programs, and protected research time are essential interventions. Institutions should embed these elements longitudinally to cultivate a robust research culture and enhance undergraduate research outputs.