ABSTRACT
La tesis universitaria representa un trabajo académico donde el estudiante demuestra las competencias investigativas aprendidas; sin embargo, su culminación requiere habilidades específicas y sujetas a limitantes. Objetivo. Identificar las percepciones de un grupo de graduados de Odontología sobre sus experiencias al desarrollar su tesis de licenciatura. Métodos. Estudio fenomenológico que entrevistó a través de grupos focales a 32 estudiantes egresados de la Facultad de Odontología (Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Perú) que culminaron satisfactoriamente su tesis de grado. Se exploraron las categorías de factores personales, relaciones e institucionales. El análisis se realizó de forma inductiva a través de las opiniones, búsqueda de similitudes y síntesis de hallazgos. Resultados. La responsabilidad laboral a futuro (factor personal) fue percibida como uno de los principales estimulantes para culminar la tesis; la motivación del asesor de tesis (factor relacional) fue percibida como una característica que influyó en la culminación mientras que el apoyo institucional y la consecución de datos (factores institucionales) fueron percibidas como condiciones negativas y difíciles de sobrellevar. Conclusiones. Diversos factores influyen en la culminación de la tesis universitaria como: la motivación del tema de tesis, el apoyo del asesor y contar con recursos para financiar la ejecución fueron características resaltadas como factores que promueven el desarrollo de la tesis universitaria. Estas experiencias se fundamentan en la obtención de un grado académico para insertarse en un sistema laboral.
The university thesis represents an academic work where the student demonstrates the research learned skills; however, its completion requires specific skills and subject to limitations. Objective. To identify the perceptions of a group of dental graduates about their experiences while the undergraduate students develop their thesis Methods. Phenomenological study that interviewed 32 students graduated from the Faculty of Dentistry (Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima, Peru) through focus groups who successfully completed their degree thesis. The categories of personal, relationship and institutional factors were explored. The analysis was carried out inductively through opinions, search for similarities and synthesis of findings. Results. Three categories of analysis were found: personal, relational and institutional factors. Future job responsibility (personal factor) was perceived as one of the main stimulants to complete the thesis, the motivation of the thesis advisor (relational factor) was perceived as a characteristic that influenced completion while institutional support and data acquisition (institutional factors) were perceived as negative conditions and difficult to cope with. Conclusions. Various factors influence the completion of the university thesis such as: The motivation of the thesis topic, the support of the advisor and having resources to finance the execution were characteristics highlighted as factors that promote the development of the university thesis. These experiences are based on obtaining an academic degree to enter a labor system.