Research Misconduct in Moroccan Medical Professionals: Insights from a Cross-Sectional Study on Attitudes and Experiences

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Abstract Objective: To explore the experiences and attitudes of Moroccan medical students towards research integrity and scientific misconduct. Methods: A cross-sectional web survey, incorporating the Research Misbehavior severity score (RMSS-Q) and Kalichman attitudes surveys, was distributed to doctors and medical students in five Moroccan medical universities. The survey, disseminated via email and social media platforms, included close-ended questions to assess attitudes towards research misconduct and gather participants' self-reported experiences with such unethical practices. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the predictors of misconduct. Results: A total of 1500 medical students and residents were targeted. 335 of them responded, making a response rate of 22,4%. 57.3% were women and the mean age was 24.5 ±2.18.43.3% of the students were in 5th year whereas 51.6% were in the 6th year of Medical School. Among the participants, only 36.1% reported previous research experience. Regarding acts of misconduct, 85.62% and 86.7% of respondents expressed agreement with items related to falsification and plagiarism, respectively, as indicated by the Kalichman questionnaire. 63.6% of respondents admitted to engaging in scientific misconduct at least once. No significant associations were found between age, sex, academic level, or research experience and the likelihood of committing misconduct in the multivariable analysis. Conclusion: In conclusion, our study underscores the concern of research misconduct among medical students while revealing a considerable gap in comprehending the core factors driving such unethical behavior. This underscores the importance of investigating the effectiveness of targeted training approaches and interventions. By nurturing an environment that promotes research integrity and ethical conduct within the sphere of medical education, we can pave the way for a more conscientious and principled research community.

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