Table 5.

Supporting verbatim examples from themes negatively oriented towards/unsure about doing research from ‘following your degree does a career incorporating medical research appeal to you?’

Theme	Verbatim examples
People and patients (N = 22)	‘Because I think I would prefer something more practical and hands on because I see research as being detached life from patients and boring’ (First year male, age 18)
	‘I want to practise medicine, deal with people; I don't want to write grants and papers’ (GEM female, age 22)
Negative prior experience (N = 7)	‘I have researched in the past, does not suit me’ (Third year male, age 28)
	‘Have done a bit of lab work and I do not enjoy it that's why I went to med school to get out of research’ (Second year female, age 29)
No appeal (N = 31)	‘Not at the moment because it seems to take years before you find anything significant’ (Second year female, age 20)
	‘I find it hard to motivate myself to do research, find it time consuming’ (Third year male, age 23)
Wait and see (N = 26)	‘I have not had much exposure yet … however I realise how important it is not only for society but for furthering ones career and this may change in the future following further exposure to research’ (Fourth year female, age 21)
	‘At the moment research seems very much beyond me because I am not very confident analysing and reviewing things on my own’ (Second year female, age 21)