Date of Award

10-2025

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Bioethics

First Advisor

Dr Ashar Malik

Second Advisor

Dr Aamir Jaffery

Third Advisor

Dr Asfiya Aziz

Department

Educational Development

Abstract

Background: Questionable research practices (QRPs) are growing concerns in undergraduate medical and dental research settings. Mentorship is believed to influence students’ research behavior, yet limited evidence exists on how effectively mentoring addresses ethical challenges among undergraduate dental students? Objective: To explore the perceptions of undergraduate dental students regarding ethical concerns, experiences of QRP, and the perceived effectiveness of mentoring in reducing QRPs.
Methods: A pilot research study using qualitative design was conducted at two (public and private) dental teaching institutions in Karachi, Pakistan over May-October 2025. Using purposive sampling 12 participants (six undergraduate students and six mentors were selected). Data were collected using a structured and validated questionnaire adapted from existing tools (including SMQ-R). Descriptive statistics were analyzed using SPSS v22, and thematic analysis of open-ended responses was conducted following Braun and Clarke’s framework.
Results: Students demonstrated moderate to high awareness of ethical guidelines but reported inconsistent institutional support and variability in mentoring quality. Commonly experienced issues included improper authorship (50%) and power dynamics affecting research involvement (66.7%). Although 83.3% of students considered mentoring helpful in understanding ethical issues, 66.7% expressed concerns about institutional preparedness. Students identified a need for mandatory training in bioethics, structured reporting mechanisms of QRP, and transparent mentorship policies.
Conclusion: Mentorship plays a meaningful role in guiding undergraduate dental students toward ethical research conduct. However, institutional gaps, ambiguous policies, and inconsistent mentoring practices limit its effectiveness. Strengthening ethics education and formalizing mentorship structures are essential to reduce QRPs in undergraduate dental research.

First Page

1

Last Page

65

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