Background: MBBS course content is extensive and requires immense and strenuous effort on the part of the medical students to complete it. Some students excel in their academics while others strive to pass and some even drop out. If the factors contributing to the excellent academic performance could be identified, these factors then can be incorporated to upgrade the struggling medical students. Hence, early identification of low achievers and the factors responsible for their poor performance is crucial. We undertook this study to identify the various factors influencing the academic performance of these two groups of students. Methods: We identified the top thirty percentile and bottom 30 percentile students in the subject of pharmacology based on their third semester examination marks. All the 62 students opted to participate in the study, and their informed consent was taken. They were then given the questionnaire and allowed to answer in a stress free atmosphere. Results: Factors which were statistically significant in contributing to the good performance of high achievers were the use of reference books from the library, learning from other sources such as patients, avoiding repetition of mistakes made in the past, proper time management skills, and having immense intrinsic motivation to study. Conclusion:Through our study, we identified important factors contributing to high performance in academics, and we concluded that students should incorporate all the factors in a well-coordinated manner rather than focusing on any single factor. If executed, appropriately it will definitely upgrade their academic performance and prevent undesirable failures.

INTRODUCTIONPharmacology is undoubtedly the backbone of rational therapeutics, 1 but is a vast and volatile subject. Consequently, didactic lectures do not always suffice to make a student of pharmacology grasp the fundamental concepts and the finer nuances of the subject. During the traditional lectures, the attention span can lapse after 10-15 mins.2 As a result, the students will have little interest or motivation to learn it. Consequently, teachers of pharmacology are resorting to novel methods and modifications in their teaching practices, other than the traditional, didactic classroom lectures, which could include bedside teaching, seminars, role-play, and so on. Poster presentation in academics has been used as a method of transmitting erudition. Poster presentation provides the viewer with a bird's eye view of the topic. A good poster is student friendly and a succinct tool to convey knowledge to a student's. 4,5 Posters can serve as modified mind-maps for students to get a better grasp of the subject.Model-based learning refers to activities where students use their dexterity skills to design and build models and in the process acquire in depth understanding regarding the relevant topic. At the end of the presentation, students are filled with a sense of accomplishment and this boosts their selfconfidence.3 Students also have to develop the adaptability for group work and team-spirit during this exercise.We made an attempt to use posters and models as a modified tool of teaching by holding a poster and model competition, to find out how well it arouses and generates interest among ABSTRACT Background: The objective of this study was to provide an extrinsic motivation for learning and allow it to translate into intrinsic motivation during the activity. To generate an interest and to have a better understanding of pharmacology by preparing models and posters. Methods: The present study was carried out among the second year MBBS students. The topic selected was "pharmacotherapy of diabetes mellitus." A formal announcement was made 30 days in advance. Didactic lectures were taken as per schedule. Ninety-seven students were divided into 18 groups of 5-6 student's each. Nine groups were allotted to prepare models and nine were allotted to prepare posters. On the assigned day student's presented their posters and models with enthusiasm. The best three posters and three models were awarded. Feedback forms in the form of questionnaire were given to the students. The students had to grade the answers: 1: little help, 5: extremely helpful. 1-2: low score; 3: medium score; 4,5: high score. Results: Chi-square test was applied to all answers except eighth. The answers showed Chi-square value more than 9.21 and p<0.01, which is considered statistically significant. As for the eighth answer, 77.7% students scored it 4-5 (high score).The sample size for 1-2 (low score) was only 3: so Chi-square test was not applicable. Conclusions:The poster model competition did generate an interest in the topic. The students had a ne...

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