Extracurricular Activities in Medical Education: An Integrative Literature Review

Abstract

Background: The importance of extracurricular activities (EAs) has been emphasized in medical education. These activities could enhance medical students’ emotional and physical health and afford them developmental opportunities. Despite the growing amount of research related to this theme, few studies review and synthesize the existing literature. This literature review aims to provide an understanding of the educational implications of EAs in medical colleges and constructs an integrated conceptual framework concerning their types and learning outcomes. Methods: An integrative literature review was conducted following Torraco’s method, which helped generate a new framework for the given topic. The authors utilized Scopus and PubMed as databases, using search terms “extracurricular,” “medical,” and “students.” Initially, titles and abstracts were screened to include relevant studies, and the researchers verified the eligibility of the articles by following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Of the 263 articles identified, 64 empirical studies were selected for further review. Results: EAs in undergraduate medical education can be classified into direct extracurricular activities and indirect extracurricular activities, the latter of which is sorted into nine sub-categories. We identified seven main categories regarding the learning outcomes of EAs. In addition to general activities (e.g., pro-social activities, team sports), some distinctive activities such as research have been largely addressed in previous studies. The results of EAs were discussed in relation to academic growth, career development, and psychological experiences. Conclusions: This review identified the types and learning outcomes of EAs in the context of medical education, thereby suggesting ways to improve the quality of EAs and maximize their educational effects.

Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Physical Activity Among Medical Students at University of Cyberjaya, Malaysia

“…Medical education is often characterised by rigorous schedules and heavy workloads, leaving little time for extracurricular activities such as exercise. [36] Moreover, the high levels of stress associated with medical training might also contribute to a sedentary lifestyle among medical students. [37] It is important to recognize these challenges and address them effectively through targeted interventions.…”

La investigación en las escuelas de las ciencias de la salud

“…Las "actividades extracurriculares" son aquellas que se desarrollan fuera del plan de estudios regular y buscan complementar la formación del estudiante en áreas específicas. Estas actividades, aunque no forman parte del currículo oficial, desempeñan un papel vital en el desarrollo integral de los alumnos (33,34) . De manera específica, y en el ámbito de la investigación, estas actividades buscan fomentar y canalizar el interés de los estudiantes hacia la generación y difusión de conocimiento.…”

Factors associated with academic performance among medical students at a medical school in South Korea: A retrospective cohort study

“…academic and extracurricular activities in order to improve their work-life balance [21]. On the other hand, some research has shown that medical institutions tend to heavily focus on extracurricular research programs to enhance research competency because medical students have strong interest in developing professionalism through extracurricular research participation [24]. Conversely, this may lead to negative outcomes, such as stress and burnout [25].…”