Analysis of the study skills of undergraduate pharmacy students of the University of Zambia School of Medicine.

Christian Chinyere Ezeala,Nalucha Siyanga

doi:10.3352/jeehp.2015.12.46

Christian Chinyere Ezeala, Nalucha Siyanga

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3352/jeehp.2015.12.46

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Abstract

It aimed to compare the study skills of two groups of undergraduate pharmacy students in the School of Medicine, University of Zambia using the Study Skills Assessment Questionnaire (SSAQ), with the goal of analysing students’ study skills and identifying factors that affect study skills. A questionnaire was distributed to 67 participants from both programs using stratified random sampling. Completed questionnaires were rated according to participants study skill. The total scores and scores within subscales were analysed and compared quantitatively. Questionnaires were distributed to 37 students in the regular program, and to 30 students in the parallel program. The response rate was 100%. Students had moderate to good study skills: 22 respondents (32.8%) showed good study skills, while 45 respondents (67.2%) were found to have moderate study skills. Students in the parallel program demonstrated significantly better study skills (mean SSAQ score, 185.4±14.5), particularly in time management and writing, than the students in the regular program (mean SSAQ score 175±25.4; P<0.05). No significant differences were found according to age, gender, residential or marital status, or level of study. The students in the parallel program had better time management and writing skills, probably due to their prior work experience. The more intensive training to students in regular program is needed in improving time management and writing skills.

Highlights

The available evidence suggests that a sizable proportion of undergraduate health sciences students lack good study skills and habits [1,2], and that introducing a study skills program could significantly improve students’ confidence and academic achievement [3]
In light of the different student demographics and differences in academic achievement that have been observed between these two programs, this study was designed to analyse the study skills of undergraduate pharmacy students of the School of Medicine of the University of Zambia, with the goal of identifying areas of deficiency in the domains of time management, note taking, test/examination preparation, motivation, concentration/memory, information processing, reading, and writing skills
The results of this study indicated that a majority of the students in both the regular and parallel programs had only mo derate study skills, a finding that is consistent with reports from other similar studies in the field of medical and health sciences education [3]

Summary

Introduction

The available evidence suggests that a sizable proportion of undergraduate health sciences students lack good study skills and habits [1,2], and that introducing a study skills program could significantly improve students’ confidence and academic achievement [3]. In light of the different student demographics and differences in academic achievement that have been observed between these two programs, this study was designed to analyse the study skills of undergraduate pharmacy students of the School of Medicine of the University of Zambia, with the goal of identifying areas of deficiency in the domains of time management, note taking, test/examination preparation, motivation, concentration/memory, information processing, reading, and writing skills.

Results

Conclusion