P. M. Mshelbwala1, O. O. Osagie1 1University of Abuja-Teaching Hospital,Department Of Surgery,Gwagalada, FCT, Nigeria
Background: Pediatric surgery is a relatively young speciality in Nigeria which is still evolving. Trainees must develop a research topic and defend a thesis as part of their final examination aimed at stimulating them to incorporate research into their clinical practice.
Aim: To review the potentials and current challenges in research faced by pediatric surgeons in Nigeria.
Materials and Methods: A review of data from the two regional postgraduate surgical colleges regarding thesis presented by pediatric surgeons and abstracts presented at annual scientific meetings of the national pediatric surgical association over a 15-year period was done. An online survey of pediatric surgeons using a semi-structured questionnaire was also carried out.
Results: Twelve thesis have been successfully defended in 14 years at the National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria (NPMCN). While the West African College of Surgeons (WACS) received 32 in four years. The Association of Pediatric Surgeons of Nigeria(APSON) had 599 abstracts presented at its annual scientific meetings from 2003 to 2017; an average of 40 per year.
The survey was sent to 142 of the 185 registered pediatric surgeons in Nigeria, out of which 68 responded, with more than 76% practicing in tertiary teaching hospitals.
In the last three years, 46 surgeons were involved in one to four research studies, 82.3% of which were observational and none clinical trials. Seven had not participated in any research. Institutional support for research was available to about 70% of the surgeons which comprised secretarial support(57.44%), funding(21.3%), protected time(13.2%), research assistants(10.6%) and provision of research mentorship(8.5%).
Factors hindering research included incomplete patients’ records, difficulty in accessing funds, limited internet access, lack of interest, inability to develop research collaborations, difficulty in publishing findings. Others were limited research capacity, dearth of ideas and lack of protected time.
Recommendations ranged from additional training on research methodology & grant writing, the use of electronic medical records (EMS), increased collaboration among pediatric surgeons to improved access to funding and journals.
Conclusion: The volume and quality of research in pediatric surgery in Nigeria is relatively low and the inclusion of a thesis into residency training has not translated into increased research clinical practice. Relevant institutional support may enhance the output and impact of research amongst pediatric surgeons.