Research Help-Seeking in Residents of Ophthalmology in Mashhad University of Medical Sciences: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background and Objectives. Considering the undeniable role of the help-seeking strategy in learning research skills, this study aimed to examine the situation of research help-seeking among ophthalmology residents of Mashhad University of Medical Sciences (MUMS), Mashhad, Iran. Materials and Methods. This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on all ophthalmology residents of MUMS (n = 46). A validated research help-seeking scale was used to collect the required data. The scale consisted of 29 items and assessed the three dimensions of avoidance of help-seeking, adaptive help-seeking, and perceived benefit of help-seeking. The answers were scored based on a six-point Likert scale. Results. In total, 41 residents who responded to the electronic version of the research help-seeking scale were selected through convenience sampling. In the axes of help-seeking avoidance and perceived benefit of help-seeking, indexes were in the upper-middle level, while in the adaptive help-seeking axis, it was in the lower-middle level. Based on the results, gender and academic year of residency had no effect on research help-seeking aspects in the participants. However, age had a positive and significant correlation with the perceived benefit of help-seeking. Conclusion. Research help-seeking in residents of ophthalmology of MUMS in all three axes was around the middle level, and it is recommended that university officials and professors encourage residents use adaptive help-seeking strategy during their residency to improve their research skills.