A retrospective review of primary care research projects completed by medical students at University of New South Wales Medicine

Background and objectives
It is important for medical students to learn how to conduct sound medical research by implementing their own research projects. This study describes the primary care research projects conducted by fourth-year medical students for their Independent Learning Project/Honours (ILP/Honours) at University of New South Wales (UNSW) Medicine.

Methods
A review was conducted of research projects undertaken by medical students at UNSW to determine the number and themes of projects on primary care topics, and the departments that supervised these projects.

Results
Of 3116 student research projects, 482 (15.5%) were on primary care topics. Major themes were mental health and substance abuse (90; 18.7%), aged care issues (67; 13.7%), common chronic diseases (63; 13.1%), and issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people or people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities (59; 12.2%). Only 134 (4.3% of the total 3116) research projects were supervised through departments with primary care academics.

Discussion
The ILP/Honours program gives medical students at UNSW Medicine an opportunity to conduct research on primary care topics. There needs to be more attention given to growing the research capacity of primary care academic departments.