Motivation, Cognitive and Resource Management Skills: Association of Self-Regulated Learning Domains with Gender, Clinical Transition and Academic Performance of Undergraduate Medical Students

Abstract

Studies have associated self-regulated learning with better medical academic performance. However, limited data depicts inter-gender variabilities and differences between pre-clinical students and those undergoing clinical transition. Our study aims to bridge this gap. In this comparative cross-sectional study, Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire was administered to 550 undergraduate students of Army Medical College. Three hundred thirty-nine of 550 students responded. Reliability analysis was performed (Cronbach's α = 0.936). Extrinsic motivation was higher than intrinsic. Use of cognitive, metacognitive, and resource management skills was modest. Academic performance was weakly but significantly correlated with intrinsic goal orientation (p = 0.031), extrinsic goal orientation (p = 0.003), elaboration (p = 0.001), time/study environment (p = 0.009), and effort regulation (p = 0.009). Extrinsic goal orientation mean score was significantly lower (p < 0.001) for third year students when compared with that of pre-clinical students. Females had higher task-value scores (p = 0.009) while males had higher self-efficacy (p = 0.002) and critical thinking (p = 0.012) scores. Study concludes that academic performance and self-regulated learning domains are weakly but significantly correlated. Students undergoing clinical transition have lower extrinsic motivation. Inter-gender variabilities exist in task-value, critical thinking, and self-efficacy domains. This study opens up new vistas for educationists who should revise curricula, academic reward systems, and pedagogy forms. Interventional studies should be designed to bring improvements in self-regulated learning domains.