Association of academic performance of premedical students to satisfaction and engagement in a short training program: a cross sectional study presenting gender differences

Abstract

BackgroundIt is important that students have a high academic engagement and satisfaction in order to have good academic achievement. No study measures association of these elements in a short training program. This study aimed to measure the correlation between academic achievement, satisfaction and engagement dimensions in a short training program among premedical students.MethodsWe carried out a cross sectional study, in August 2013, at Cercle d’Etudiants, Ingénieurs, Médecins et Professeurs de Lycée pour le Triomphe de l’Excellence (CEMPLEX) training center, a center which prepares students for the national common entrance examination into medical schools in Cameroon. We included all students attending this training center during last examination period. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire on paper. Academic engagement was measured using three dimensions: vigor, dedication and absorption. Satisfaction to lessons, for each learning subject was collected. Academic achievement was calculated using mean of the score of all learning subjects affected with their coefficient. Pearson coefficient (r) and multiple regression models were used to measure association. A p value < 0.05 was statistically significant.ResultsIn total, 180 students were analyzed. In univariate linear analysis, we found correlation with academic achievement for vigor (r = 0.338, p = 0.006) and dedication (r = 0.287, p = 0.021) only in male students. In multiple regression linear analysis, academic engagement and satisfaction were correlated to academic achievement only in male students (R2 = 0.159, p = 0.035). No correlation was found in female students and in all students. The independent variables (vigor, dedication, absorption and satisfaction) explained 6.8-24.3% of the variance of academic achievement.ConclusionIt is only in male students that academic engagement and satisfaction to lessons are correlated to academic achievement in this short training program for premedical students and this correlation is weak.

The Relation between Academic Achievement and Emotional Intelligence in Iranian Students: A Meta-Analysis

“…With regards to the same, several studies have been undergone all over the world on the topic of academic achievement and emotional intelligence in university students. However, their results are conflicting (13)(14)(15).…”

Multimethod Longitudinal HIV Drug Resistance Analysis in Antiretroviral-Therapy-Naive Patients

“…of 2003 (Ͼ40-fold increase) (1)(2)(3)(4)(5)(6)(7)(8). In Cameroon, more than 180,000 patients were receiving ART in 2015, representing less than 50% of ART-eligible patients, and yet this is a great increase, since in 2005 only 16,500 HIV-infected patients in Cameroon had access to ART.…”

Item response theory analysis of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students (UWES-S) using a sample of Japanese university and college students majoring medical science, nursing, and natural science

“…Empirical studies indicate that there is a positive relationships between students’ engagement and their performance [ 4 – 6 ]. These studies have widely used the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale for Students (UWES-S) [ 7 – 10 ]. However, the UWES-S has not been translated into Japanese, nor has it been validated.…”