RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The emancipatory nature of education requires research as its fundamental base, because physicians can only improve their skills and knowledge through enquiry. The number and quality of scientific publications by Latin-American spine surgeons found in the Medline database was low between 2000 and 2011. Nevertheless, the research Bank Survey of AOSpine Latin America (AOSLA) members showed that 96% of responders were very interested and motivated to perform scientific research. METHODS AND POPULATION: The research officer of AOSLA together with the Country Council and the AOSpine Research Commission established a competency-based curriculum to improve understanding of what is necessary to produce research and the best methods to achieve this goal. The research curriculum was divided into four main components: (1) research educational plan, (2) performing research, (3) technical and professional support and (4) assessment. RESULTS: The competences, learning outcomes and a syllabus on knowledge in research were developed to enable the participants to understand and perform investigations effectively. The eLearning module was designed to improve the competences to access, evaluate and use scientific information available in the main databases efficiently. Research courses were given as an isolated activity four times in Brazil and Mexico and as precourse activities six times in Brazil, Mexico and Peru. The result was an increased number of articles published and works presented at congresses. CONCLUSIONS: The project of education in research can be effectively disseminated and applied across regions, across students and across specialties.