Factors affecting academic achievement of third-year students of Bursa Uludağ University Faculty of Medicine

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the determinants of academic performance among third-year students in the Faculty of Medicine. A survey consisting of 45 questions was administered to 357 third-year students in the academic year 2017-2018, with a response rate of 233 participants. The academic achievement was assessed by evaluating the grade point average (GPA) scores, with a threshold of 3. The results revealed that several factors were significantly associated with a GPA score of 3 and above, including age (p=0.011), relationship with parents and positive parental attitude (p=0.001), staying with family (p=0.015), and school selection to “be a doctor” (p=0.044). The results also showed that negative parenting behaviors and smoking were associated with an increased risk of academic failure. However, no significant association was found between academic performance and gender, physical exercise, parents’ education, and employment status. This study highlights the crucial factors impacting academic achievement in medical education. The results demonstrate the importance of age, relationship with parents, parental attitude, reasons for choosing a medical school, smoking habits, and extracurricular activities in determining GPA outcomes. The findings have important implications for the future planning of students, the development of education, and the formulation of new policies