Background:

The participation of medical students in research generates professional, scientific, and personal benefits for the student.

Aim:

To evaluate the interest and opportunities for medical students in Chile to participate in scientific research and their perceptions about factors influencing research.

Material and Methods:

All students attending the 2018 Chilean Congress for Medical Students were invited to answer a 44 questions survey about interest and opportunities to participate in research.

Results:

The survey was answered by 489 of the 538 students attending the congress. Eighty five percent referred interest in conducting scientific research, but only 47% had the opportunity to actively participate in a research project. The main research area providing opportunities was epidemiology and the main form to access a research project was through direct contact with a medical professor or researcher. Seventy seven percent of respondents had courses of scientific investigation in their medical curriculum and 92% had a scientific society for medical students in their university.

Conclusions:

Respondents showed a great deal of interest in participating in scientific research. However, there is a gap between this interest and the available opportunities. Medical professors should promote and facilitate the participation of their students in research.