Introduction: The process of thesis completion inherently involves its own set of challenges and complexities, and understanding students’ perspectives can enhance this process. This study aims to investigate the attitudes of general medical students toward the thesis writing process.
Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on general medical students at Tehran University of Medical Sciences in the year 2021. A total of 117 students, randomly selected from those actively engaged in thesis work or recently defended their theses, participated in the study. The research tool was a questionnaire consisting of 54 questions, including four demographic questions and 50 questions related to the thesis completion process. Data analysis was performed using descriptive and analytical statistics in the SPSS software.
Results: The most important criterion for choosing the subject of the dissertation was related to the possibility of collecting information from patients’ files (7.15 out of 10). The most favorable answer in the field of choosing a supervisor was quick and convenient access to the supervisor (93 percent). The most favorable answers regarding the process of completing the thesis and its challenges were related to the fact that I was free to choose a supervisor (93 percent) and the involvement of final year medical students in the bedside and intensive care (91 percent).
Conclusion: University managers with the identified challenges related to the thesis process can take effective measures to solve these challenges and increase the quality of theses.