Abstract
This article was migrated. The article was not marked as recommended. Attendance at scheduled learning activities enhances medical students' education and demonstrates professionalism.This study explores the relationship between attendance and psychological distress in a cohort of medical learners.We recorded the attendance of pre-clinical students at compulsory activities over two years. Counselors in our learner support program were asked to anonymously indicate whether individual learners had sought assistance for psychological distress. The study protocol was approved by the University of Alberta's Research Ethics and Privacy Offices.One hundred and seventy students recorded 965 absences. The mean (SD) of absences per student was 5.68 (5.56). Twenty one (12%) students had significant psychological distress. There was a negative correlation (r = - 0.33) between absences and academic performance. The correlation between absences and psychological distress was moderate (r = 0.63). The mean (SD) number of absences among students without distress was 4.37 (3.46). Among those with distress, the mean (SD) number of absences was 14.95 (8.32). The difference was significant (p < 0.0001) with an effect size of Cohen's d = 3.06.In the culture of medical school, absences are often interpreted as a lack of moral fitness for the profession, and attendance policies are designed accordingly. However, absenteeism may be symptomatic of psychological distress. If so, institutional regulations could be modified to address this more effectively.
Highlights
Attending scheduled educational activities is a straightforward way for medical students to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of a physician
The revised attendance policy consisted of the following components: students entering medical school were to be made aware of attendance policy and procedures through lectures, a student handbook, and the program’s website; a pre-specified subset of the preclinical curriculum, consisting of 10 – 20% of sessions, and distributed throughout the first two years of the program, were designated compulsory; compulsory sessions consisted of labs, small group sessions, workshops, seminars, simulations, demonstrations, or any curricular activity that involved a real or simulated patient; lectures were not compulsory; students were reminded of compulsory activities by means of a computer-based scheduling and notification system; students were required to use a sign-in registry to document their presence at compulsory sessions
We conducted a systematic analysis of attendance, academic performance, and psychological distress using observational data obtained from a cohort of 170 preclinical medical students
Summary
Attending scheduled educational activities is a straightforward way for medical students to acquire the knowledge, skills, and attitudes required of a physician. Attendance – even though the schedule may be challenging, the teacher less than charismatic, or alternative ways to access to the information available – signals a commitment to medical practice, a potentially demanding endeavor not necessarily accomplished at one’s convenience. For these reasons, many medical schools have traditionally mandated attendance, with potential penalties for students who do not "bother" to attend
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