A study to assess factors affecting the performance of undergraduate medical students in academic examination in community medicine
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18203/2394-6040.ijcmph20171325Keywords:
Student, Examination, Medical, Performance, Achievement, GradesAbstract
Background: Undergraduate medical education is facing many basic problems in India today. This study aimed to identify and analyze factors that affect the students’ academic performance in Community Medicine.
Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted at the Department of Community Medicine, VCSGGMS & RI, Uttarakhand, India among the third and sixth semester medical students from February to July 2016. The questionnaire was used to interview 182 students. The questionnaire covered demographic factors, physical fitness in terms of refractive error, use of technology in the form of smart phones and internet, stress level in the form of sleeping hours before examination, pattern of meals before examination and material used for study and others. The student was scaled based on an achievement marks percentile.
Results: The research population included 182 students (85 male and 97 female). The mean age of the studied students was 21.62 ± 1.61 years. About 48.9% of the students were using spectacles. Over 90% of the students reported using smart phones, computer, and access to the internet. The mean hours of sleep day before the examination were 5.14± 1.94 hours. About three fourth of the students, reported consuming meals before the examination. Demographic factors, i.e. age and gender were significantly associated with students’ overall academic achievement in multiple linear regression analysis (p<0.05).
Conclusions: Various factors determine the academic performance of students. To understand better about the factors that contribute in the academic performance of students there is need for a qualitative study.
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