Medical postgraduates’ knowledge, attitudes, and practices towards scientific research in China: a cross-sectional study with mediation analysis

With increasing emphasis on integrating research into postgraduate medical education in China’s dual-track academic and professional systems, understanding students’ research engagement has become increasingly important. This study aims to examine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of medical postgraduates regarding scientific research. This cross-sectional study used a self-administered questionnaire and convenience sampling to recruit medical postgraduates from April 23 to July 18, 2024, at Kunming Medical University. The questionnaire assessed knowledge (10 items; score range 0–10), attitudes (9 items; 5-point Likert; 9–45), and practices (7 items; 5-point Likert; 7–35). Group differences were examined using the Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis H test, and mediation analysis was performed using structural equation modeling with SPSS 27.0 and AMOS 26.0. Among 1,089 respondents, 67.86% were female, 39.03% had prior publications, and 21.3% had participated in research projects. The knowledge, attitude, and practice were 7.66 ± 0.70 (possible range: 0–10), 34.96 ± 4.13 (possible range: 9–45), and 28.53 ± 3.95 (possible range: 7–35), respectively. Mediation analysis revealed that degree type had a significant direct effect on both knowledge (β = -0.091, P = 0.042) and attitude (β = -0.967, P < 0.001). Knowledge had a direct effect on attitude (β = 0.569, P = 0.001), while attitude showed a direct effect on practice (β = 0.655, P < 0.001). Additionally, income (β = 0.174, P = 0.029), prior publication (β = 0.499, P = 0.004), research participation (β = 0.418, P = 0.042), and gender (β = -1.010, P < 0.001) also directly influenced practice scores. Medical postgraduates showed relatively high knowledge, positive attitudes, and proactive research practices, as reflected by the mean scores within the scale ranges. The findings highlight the need for tailored educational policies, including integrating research-oriented modules into curricula, structured mentorship programs, and addressing gender disparities to enhance research engagement.