Factors potentially influencing academic performance among medical students

Abstract

BackgroundStudies are needed to examine predictors of success in medical school. The aim of this work is to explore factors that potentially influence excellence of medical students.MethodsThe study was conducted in the Medical Faculty of King Abdulaziz University during October 2012. A self-administered questionnaire was used. Medical students with a grade point average (GPA) ≥4.5 (out of 5) were included and compared to randomly selected medical students with a GPA <4.5, who were available at the time of the study.ResultsA total of 359 undergraduate students participated in the study. 50.4% of the sample was students with a GPA ≥4.5. No statistically significant difference regarding the time spent on outings and social events was found. However, 60.7% of high GPA students spend less than 2 hours on social networking per day as compared to 42.6% of the lower GPA students (P<0.01). In addition, 79% of high GPA students prefer to study alone (P=0.02), 68.0% required silence and no interruptions during studying time (P=0.013), and 47% revise their material at least once before an exam (P=0.02).ConclusionExcellent medical students have many different characteristics. For example, they do not use social networking for prolonged periods of time, and they have strong motivation and study enjoyment. Further studies are needed to examine whether these differences have a real impact on GPA or not.

Academic Performance of Pre-Clinical and Clinical Medical Students’ of East Coast Malaysian Peninsula: A Cross-Sectional and Descriptive Study That Stimulates Their Life

“…No much difference between their means regarding consumption of caffeinated beverages. This finding agrees with the finding of an earlier study (Al Shawwa et al, 2015) who revealed that factors such as expending time watching television and listening to music had no substantial difference amongst medical students of higher and lower GPA scores. However, distinctions were found in time dedicated to different forms of social networking between the groups which might likely have a substantial difference on the student's achievement.…”

“…However, their comparative mean scores on each reading style have indicated that pre-clinical students are more likely to engage in mapping, note forming, highlighting, recording, reading aloud and start by memorizing while the clinical students are more likely to employ summarizing, read silently as well as start by reading than memorizing. This discovery is in concord with the results of the previous researchers who observed no significant difference between different reading styles employed by the medical students on their academic performance (Al Shawwa et al, 2015).…”

“…Nevertheless, the corresponding mean scores reveal that clinical students are more likely to attend tutorials and clinical sessions while pre-clinical students are more apt to attend lectures, practicals, and PBL. This finding replicated the findings of earlier studies documented that higher participation of PBL among students of greater GPA scores and indicated that problemcentered discourse inspires greater absorption of fresh information in the student's existing knowledge base, carrying out the ensuing information more approachable and remembered easily (De Grave et al, 2001;Al Shawwa et al, 2015).…”

“…The participants were medical students from different states on the east coast of Malaysia. Research Instrument: The instrument for the present study was chosen, transformed, and validated from the preceding study (Al Shawwa et al, 2015). The formal approval was received to utilizing the questionnaire from Dr. Ahmad A. Abulaban, Department of Medicine-Neurology, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, King Abdul-Aziz Medical City, PO Box 377033, Riyadh 11335, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.…”

“…Obviously, these students did not participate in the main study. As no change was required precisely the same questionnaire was maintained as of King Abdul Aziz University to conduct the study after revalidation in UniSZA (Al Shawwa et al, 2015). This questionnaire contains total 36 questions.…”