Academic Achievement Of Medical Students Research Articles

Socioeconomic disparities and their effect on medical student academic attainment Sudanese Universities

BackgroundSocioeconomic status (SES) is a social classification factor that takes into account income, parental education and occupation. SES has been shown to play an important role in shaping students’ academic performance, including in medical schools, but there still remains significant variation in findings around SES and academic achievement worldwide. We aim to assess and explore socioeconomic disparities and their effects on medical school performance at Sudanese public and private universities.ObjectivesThe objective of our study was to assess the effects of age, sex, living conditions, parental education and income level on the academic achievement of medical students from universities in Sudan.MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate medical students at ten public universities in Sudan between September and December 2023. Participants were included if they were older than 18 years and were studying in their 2nd year or older. The data were collected using an online questionnaire with open- and closed-ended questions measuring age, living conditions, parental income level and education. A convenience sampling method was used to recruit participants from universities. The data were analyzed using SPSS v28.0.0, and a p value less than 0.05 was used to indicate statistical significance.ResultsWe received 832 responses, 516 (62%) from females and 307 (36.9%) from males. The median age was 23 years. Most students lived with their families (61.1%), followed by student housing (28.2%). This study revealed age (p = .024) (95% Cl: 0.025- 0.023) andhigh family income (p = .019) (95% Cl: 0.018- 0.02) are associated with academic achievement in the long term, as demonstrated through cumulative grade point average (cGPA).ConclusionThe findings underscore the importance of targeted support systems to bridge the socioeconomic gaps that exist among medical students, allowing all students to thrive academically regardless of their background.Clinical trial numberNone.

Assessing the Impact of Mobile Phone use on Psychological Health and Academic Achievement of Medical Students

We have entered the era of the mobile phone. Without knowing the hazards, which may include cancer and other health concerns, using these drugs is not "quite" safe. While research on the cancers caused by mobile phone radiation is accessible, further research on the detrimental psychological and physiological effects is required, particularly for heavy users like college students. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the amount of time students spend on their mobile phones and their psychological well-being in urban educational institutions offering professional courses. Materials and procedures: We randomly chose high school and college students from urban and rural areas and gave them a survey to gauge their thoughts and feelings on the effects of mobile phone use on their well- being. Findings: Headaches were reported by 51.47 percent of patients, followed by irritation and anger at 50.79 and 50.79 percent, respectively. Apathy, poor academic performance, insomnia, and anxiety are among the frequent cognitive disorders. It is crucial to educate young people about the possible mental health hazards of excessive mobile phone usage and advise them to take precautions since they are the most likely to use cell phones often. The reason for this is because the demographic that uses mobile phones the most is the younger generation. Some suggestions include spending less time chatting and more time communicating, as well as reducing dependence on technology.

Physical Activity and Academic-Achievement of Medical Students: An Analytic Cross-sectional Study in Karachi

Physical Activity and Academic-Achievement of Medical Students: An Analytic Cross-sectional Study in Karachi

Prevalence of Sleep Disturbance Potential-Associated Factors among Undergraduate Pharmacy Students in Saudi Arabia.

Many studies across the globe have observed the significant effect of sleep disturbance on the academic achievement of medical students. Objective: This research was conducted to define the prevalence of sleep disturbance and to discover the consequences and management of this condition among undergraduate pharmacy students of Mohammed Al-Mana College for Medical Sciences (MACHS). We conducted a questionnaire-based online survey among different levels of MACHS pharmacy students. A total of 165 students participated in the study, of whom 132 (80%) were females and 33 (20%) were males. Most of the participants, 142 (86.06%), were staying with their parents, whereas few of them were staying alone (23; 13.94%). While a handful of them, 29 (17.58%), did not have their bedrooms, most of them had their bedrooms (136; 82.42%). When asked about drinking caffeine-rich products in the afternoon or at night, most of them responded "sometimes" (78; 47.27%), followed by the category "always" (61; 36.97%), "rarely" (15; 9.09%), and then the category of students who responded "not at all" (11; 6.67%). Overall, 35 (21.21%) of the study participants had a smoking habit, 72 (43.63%) tried to treat their sleep disturbance, whereas 42 (25.45%) were getting treatment for insomnia. Most pharmacy students at MACH College, especially females, have sleep problems. Mostly, the prevalence is common during exam periods, and it mildly affects their grade point average.

Personality and Learning Behavioral Characteristics as Predictors of Academic Achievement of Medical Students

This study investigates whether personality characteristics and learning behaviors can predict medical students’ academic achievement in Korea, specifically in terms of successfully completing medical school without delays or achieving a high grade point average (GPA) in their final year. In May 2018, 316 medical students took the Multi-Dimensional Learning Strategy Test, 2nd edition, which provided data on their personality and learning behavioral characteristics. Their final year’s GPA and any delays in completing medical school were ascertained by reviewing all electronic academic records of each semester they had been enrolled. The combination of personality and learning behavioral characteristics was significantly associated with completing medical school without delays, even after adjusting for sex and admission path. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for completing medical school without delays were 1.52 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83–2.78) and 3.64 (95% CI, 1.70–7.82) for “others” and “both high” categories, respectively, when compared with the “both low” category. For 235 students who completed medical school without delays, their learning behavioral characteristics (scores) were significantly associated with their final year’s GPA even after adjusting for sex, admission path, and personality characteristics (scores) as determined by the multiple linear regression analysis. This study suggests that individual personality and learning behavior characteristics are predictors of medical students’ academic achievement. Therefore, interventions such as personalized counseling programs should be provided in consideration of such student characteristics.

A study to investigate the relationship between sleeping patterns and academic performance among medical students in Jamnagar

Background: Sleep is a vital component of human health and well-being, significantly impacting mental health, mood, cognitive function (including memory), and overall health. It is an important aspect of a successful academic life in college, yet very little attention has been given to finding an appropriate sleeping pattern. Aims and Objectives: This study investigates the relationship between sleep patterns and academic performance among medical students. It further aims to identify other factors that may influence the academic performance of the study participants. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted to enroll 284 undergraduate medical students. Data were collected on sociodemographic profile, lifestyle, sleep pattern, and academic performance, by self-report questionnaire. Students were divided into six groups based on their sleeping patterns and five groups based on their academic performance. Data were analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Results: Among 284 participants, Group A demonstrated a prevalence of excellent performance (32%), followed by average performance (24%). Notably, Group B exhibited a dominance of outstanding performers (47%), followed by below average category (17%). Groups C, D, E, and F were characterized by a majority of students achieving aboveaverage outcomes. Conclusion: Sleep is a crucial factor affecting academic achievement in medical students, but not the sole determinant. Other significant influences include nutritional status, attendance at educational activities, study habits, social support, mental health, and physical activity. Conversely, excessive social media use and addictions can negatively impact academic performance.

Learning style preference and the academic achievements of medical students in an integrated curriculum.

Understanding how individuals learn best, known as learning style, is integral to optimizing educational outcomes. This analytical study was conducted among students in their fourth year who finalized their problem-based activities at the College of Medicine, University of Bisha, Saudi Arabia. The visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic (VARK) model was adopted to assess individual differences in learning preferences and their correlation with academic achievement in the problem-based learning (PBL)-dependent curriculum. The online self-administered survey was completed by 64 students with a response rate of 79%. Of these, 63.5% were men and 36.5% were women, with a mean age of 21.9 years and a grade point average (GPA) of 3.83. Analysis of learning style distribution revealed that 34.9% preferred visual, 54% preferred auditory, 17.5% preferred read/write, and 90.5% preferred kinesthetic styles. Also, combined learning modalities revealed that 14.3% preferred unimodal, 74.6% bimodal, and 11.1% trimodal approaches. The most frequent unimodal approach was kinesthetic, while auditory/kinesthetic and visual/auditory/kinesthetic were the predominant bimodal and trimodal preferences. No significant differences in GPA were found among students with different selective learning styles or combined learning modalities, as determined by one-way ANOVA and chi-square tests. Spearman's rho correlation revealed a positive correlation between the learning modality and the auditory style (P < 0.001). Also, a negative correlation was identified between reading/writing versus kinesthetic and auditory versus visual learning styles (P = 0.001). However, no significant correlations were identified between grades or GPA and specific learning styles. It can be concluded that the integrated PBL-dependent curriculum adopted at the College of Medicine, University of Bisha, is a suitable teaching modality satisfying different learning styles, but continuous monitoring is crucial.

The effect of sleep quality due to stress on medical students’ academic achievement: A cross-sectional study

Stress on students can cause a decrease in sleep quality and potentially reduce academic achievement. Understanding the effect of stress-induced sleep quality on academic achievement allows for selecting the most appropriate intervention. This study aimed to determine the impact of sleep quality due to stress on the academic achievement of medical students at Universitas Ciputra Surabaya. The method used in this study is quantitative research in the form of analytic observational with a cross-sectional approach. Sampling was done by using a random sampling technique. The population is 80 students from the Faculty of Medicine at the Universitas Ciputra Surabaya, third year and fourth year medical students. The sample size in this study was 63 students. Data was collected using the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) questionnaire to measure stress levels and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) questionnaire to measure sleep quality. Sampling was only done with the consent of the respondent. The data analysis used was the correlation test which was carried out to determine the relationship between sleep quality and stress levels; the linear regression test was carried out to assess the effect of sleep quality due to stress on academic achievement. All respondents experienced stress and sleep disturbance to various degrees. The highest proportion was mild stress and moderate sleep disturbance, respectively, 50.8% and 73%. Correlation test results showed a significant relationship between sleep disturbances and stress levels (r= 0.29; p= 0.021), and the linear regression test results showed no effect of sleep quality due to stress on academic achievement (p= 0.241). Based on the data analysis, it can be concluded that the decrease in sleep quality due to stress does not affect academic achievement in medical students.

A Comparison of the Level of the ESP Language Learners’ Performance in a Synchronous and asynchronous Online Courses

The field of education research has devoted significant focus to the study of online learning for over twenty years, acknowledging the several aspects that can impact its efficacy, including potential obstacles. To attain a thorough comprehension, it is crucial to analyse the functioning of various components within particular settings meticulously. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of synchronous and asynchronous learning approaches on the academic achievement of medical students specialising in English for Specific Purposes (ESP). The study sample consisted of 252 individuals, with an equal distribution of male and female students aged 18 to 30. These participants were drawn from many academic fields, including nursing, operating room, anaesthesia, and medicine. The study results indicate that students in the synchronous group had superior performance compared to their asynchronous counterparts, emphasising the benefits associated with real-time engagement and prompt feedback. It is noteworthy to mention that gender-based disparities did not have a substantial impact on student achievement in any learning mode. The findings of this study have significant significance for professionals in the field of education and instructional design. They underscore the need to enhance synchronous and asynchronous learning settings to offer a more comprehensive and efficient educational experience.

The impact of VR and AR technologies on the academic achievements of medical students: the age aspect

ABSTRACT The use of the innovative technologies, in particular virtual and augmented reality technologies, can have a significant impact on the training of future doctors. The sample set of the experiment consisted of 211 students from I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University. The students were divided into 4 age groups: full-time students of the Faculty of Medicine (Institute of Clinical Medicine) (group 1) and students of the Faculty of Postgraduate Education (groups 2, 3 and 4). To diagnose age-related parameters of readiness for learning using virtual technologies, the McVeigh’s questionnaire with 13 items was used. The results of the study revealed that students who studied using virtual reality technologies showed significantly better results than students of the control group. At the same time, differences were noticed in terms of the factors affecting the quality of digital learning among students of different ages. In the future, scientists may pay attention to the possibility of using AI technologies or deep learning to improve the knowledge of medical students. Additionally, researchers may consider gender, demographic and cultural aspects in the analysis of their differences in adaptation to the digital environment of education.

Changes in dietary and lifestyle behaviors and mental stress among medical students upon Ramadan diurnal intermittent fasting: a prospective cohort study from Taif/Saudi Arabia

BackgroundIntermittent fasting (IF) is a popular dietary plan for weight loss. In fact, fasting is a common practice in different religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. During the month of Ramadan, more than 1.5 billion Muslims worldwide fast from dawn to sunset. Ramadan diurnal intermittent fasting (RDIF) has health benefits, including a reduction in cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and an improvement in mood. However, little is known about the effects of RDIF on lifestyle behaviors, such as regular exercise, consuming healthy diet, and avoiding harmful substances, as well as mental stress, and academic performance in high school and university students.MethodsIn this prospective cohort study, two self-reported questionnaires were sent one week before and during the last week of Ramadan (April 2022; Ramadan 1443 in Hijri Islamic Calendar) to assess changes in lifestyle, perceived stress, and academic achievement of medical students at Taif University in Taif city, Saudi Arabia. Healthy lifestyle components data were collected to calculate healthy lifestyle scores, including body mass index, physical activity, adherence to a Mediterranean diet, smoking status, and sleep duration.ResultsRDIF was associated with a healthier lifestyle in both female and male participants (pre-RDIF mean score: 2.42 vs post-RDIF mean score: 2.74; statistical power = 0.99; P-value < 0.05). They were more active and adherent to the Mediterranean diet during RDIF. Additionally, the post-RDIF smoking rate declined by 53.4%. Male participants showed higher perceived stress scores during RDIF (pre-RDIF mean score: 19.52 vs post-RDIF mean score: 22.05; P-value < 0.01). No changes in academic performance were observed upon RDIF.ConclusionMedical students show healthier dietary and lifestyle behaviors and their academic performance is not affected during RDIF. However, perceived stress is higher among male students.

ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ ФУНДАМЕНТАЛЬНЫХ ОСНОВ ВЫСШЕГО МЕДИЦИНСКОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ ПРИ ИЗУЧЕНИИ КУРСА ФИЗИКО-ХИМИЧЕСКИХ СВОЙСТВ ПРИРОДНЫХ СОЕДИНЕНИЙ НА ФАКУЛЬТЕТАХ СЕЧЕНОВСКОГО УНИВЕРСИТЕТА

The analysis of scientific articles and the Federal State Educational Standards in the field of medical education demonstrates a steady trend of expanding the number of teaching hours for the development of professional competencies, which often occurs to the detriment of the fundamental component of higher medical education. This article raises the problematic issues of modern fundamental education at the Higher School, in particular, teaching the course "Physical and chemical properties of natural compounds" at the Medical University. The authors explore the fundamental possibilities of combining new information technologies with traditional forms of education in a single educational space, which, according to the authors, will ensure the formation of the necessary foundations, involvement and motivation of students, which in turn will become the key to high academic achievement of medical students. Increasing the prestige of obtaining fundamental knowledge will make it possible to form a systematic and science-oriented thinking, in the case analyzed by the authors, it will provide an opportunity to fully consider the physicochemical properties of natural compounds, in the context of the course of biochemical reactions, and also as a basis for creating innovative drugs of natural origin. is an analysis of the use of the fundamental foundations of higher medical education in the study of the course of physical and chemical properties of natural compounds at the faculties of Sechenov University. The fundamental foundations laid down in the course "Physical and chemical properties of natural compounds" are combined with specific components of educational programs, including familiarity with modern analytical practices, the formation of skills in working with scientific literature and regulatory documentation, the use of online counseling in preparation for laboratory and practical classes, for students students in the following areas: "Pharmacy", "General Medicine", "Dentistry", "Nursing", "Biotechnology".

Impact of Socioeconomic Status on Academic Achievement of Medical Students at Alzaiem Alazhari University 2021-2022

Socioeconomic status (SES), an index of one’s overall social status or prestige in society, is one of the most widely studied constructs in the social sciences. Student’s academic performance or gain is affected by several factors including socio economic status, school environment, family background, age, gender, parents’ academic levels, residential area of students, medium of instruction in schools, tuition trend, daily study hour, peer influence, drug and alcohol use, sexual activities and others. To study Impact of socioeconomic status on academic achievement among Alzaeim ALazhari medical students, 2021. This was a cross-sectional Descriptive Study conducted at Faculty of medicine at ALzaiem Alazhari University in Khartoum Bahri during the period from December 2021 to March 2022. We targeted medical students registered at Alzaiem Alazhari University. A questionnaire in a Google form was sent to them. This study included 208 participants. 57.2% of the participants were females, and 80.8% of them were in the age group between 21 and 23 years old. 43.7% of them had a family of high Socio-economic status. Regarding the GPA of the last semester a score between 3 and 3.4 was the most score achieved, this was the situation also regarding the continuous GPA. 90.3% of them said their parents supported them during education. In contrast, only 39.4% agreed that their parents’ level of education affected their educational attitude. age, father’s level of education, and participants who agreed that their parents’ level of education affects their educational attitude differed with a statistical significance with GPA. Factors found to be affecting GPA significantly were age, father’s level of education, and participants who agreed that their parents’ level of education affects their educational attitude. This study provided the community with data regarding socioeconomic status and academic achievement which can make a good base for others researches and a good quality of academic life The primary goal of education is to provide students with the knowledge, cognitive abilities, and career skills they will need to participate in society. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the elements influencing pupils' academic success.

STRESS LEVEL OF MEDICAL STUDENTS IN ONLINE LEARNING DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND ITS IMPACT ON ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

research on its prevalence is still very few and inconclusive. The relationship between stress and academic achievement in medical students remains a matter of debate. This study aims to determine the stress level of medical students in online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on academic achievement.Method: This descriptive-analytical study used a cross-sectional design on undergraduate medical students from the 2019-2021 class. The questionnaire distributed online contained questions related to characteristics of respondents, 14 questions from DASS-42 questionnaire to measure stress, and questions related to respondents' perceptions of online learning and semester achievement index (IPS). Data were analysed descriptively and analytically using logistic regression method with the help of SPSS Statistics 26 software. Results: Of 431 students, 411 (95%) students participated in this study. The prevalence of stress in respondents was 41.8%, majority was mild (13.4%) and moderate (13.9%). Lack of interaction between lecturers and students increased 1,691 times the risk of stress. A total of 403 (98.1%) respondents had IPS ≥ 3. Stress on respondents did not have negative impact on academic achievement, although statistically not significant (OR = 0.831; 95% CI = 0.196-3.524; p-value 0.801).Conclusion: The prevalence of stress for medical students in online learning during COVID-19 is quite high, majority was mild and moderate. Lack of interaction between lecturers and students increased risk of stress. Majority of respondents have good IPS. Stress on respondents apparently did not have negative impact on academic achievement.

Relationship Between Sleep Quality and Achievement of Medical Students in Indonesia

Sleep quality is a form of fulfilling the satisfaction of an individual who undergoes a sleep process. The quality of a persons sleep is believed to have an impact on aspects of that persons life. Medical students are no exception, who are prone to sleep with poor quality. It is suspected that one of them can have an impact on their academic performance. This literature review aims to determine whether a persons sleep quality level contributes to the academic achievement of medical students in Indonesia. Based on the eleven studies reviewed, six studies found a positive relationship between the level of sleep quality and the academic achievement of medical students in Indonesia. This is presumably because of the factors that influence it, namely mental, physical, environmental, and so on. One of them is a change in the lifestyle of medical students such as a busy schedule of activities that requires medical students to adapt to affect their sleeping hours. Not only that, the most common thing that happens is due to high stressors or pressure that occurs which affects the quality of sleep and ends up affecting their academic performance. Based on eleven literature reviews that have been conducted, it is found that currently, as many as six studies support a positive relationship while five studies do not find a relationship between sleep quality and achievement in medical students in Indonesia.

Самооценка академических достижений студентов медицинского вуза в зависимости от интерактивных методов обучения

The purpose of the work is to identify the features of self-assessment of academic achievements of medical students depending on interactive teaching methods. The sample consisted of 272 6th year students of the medical and pediatric faculties (of which 76 % were women and 24 % were men) and 3 teachers of the Department of Pedagogy, Psychology and Psychosomatic Medicine of Izhevsk State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of Russia. The study was carried out as part of the study by students of the discipline “Doctor's Communication Skills”, one of the main goals of which is to prepare for the primary accreditation of future doctors. Classes were held in the form of communicative training. All teachers actively use simulation training, but to varying degrees: one teacher focuses on the “Standardized Patient” method, the second one - on the use of a case method with situational tasks from the professional activities of doctors, the third one - actively uses both. Based on the concept of A. V. Zakharova about the types of self-assessment, the authors developed an author's questionnaire aimed at determining the self-assessment of students' academic achievements. Within its framework, the features of retrospective, actual and predictive self-assessment of the academic achievements of students were found. Statistically significant differences in the self-assessment of academic achievements of students depending on the use of interactive teaching methods were revealed. To prepare for primary accreditation, the Standardized Patient methodology is effective. For the formation of professional competencies, it is also significant to use the case method in the classroom in the form of role-playing games and group discussions. Simulation training has a positive effect on the formation of a predictive self-assessment of academic achievements, an increase in the educational and professional motivation of students, and the development of their reflective and productive thinking.

The double-edged sword of emotions in medical education: A scoping review.

Emotions are universal in academic and clinical settings. A student is likely to hope for success, maybe be worried about failure, or may feel comfortable after an exam. These feelings undoubtedly affect his/her motivation, effort, academic performance, and progress. This study aimed to investigate the role of emotion in the learning and performance of medical students and its mechanism. This study was a scoping review conducted in 2022 to examine the role of emotions in medical education. The three databases PubMed, ERIC, and Science Direct and the search engine Google Scholar were searched using the following keywords: "emotion," "medical student," "teaching," "learning," and "medical education." English articles published from 2010 to 2022 were reviewed, and finally, 34 articles that met the inclusion criteria were reviewed. Review of the selected articles showed that there was a significant relationship between the cognitive system and emotions in the brain. The conceptual framework of the relationship between cognition and emotion can be explained in the form of dimensional and discrete views of emotions and based on cognitive load theory. Emotions affect cognition with the four mechanisms of memory, cognitive resources, cognitive strategies, and motivation and can be effective in learning self-regulation, clinical reasoning, and academic achievement of medical students. Emotions in medical education is a double-edged sword. In other words, it is highly recommended to divide emotions into activating and inactivating, instead of dividing them into positive and negative ones. In this context, medical educators can use the positive aspects of nearly all emotions to improve the quality of their teaching.

Personality traits and emotional status affecting academic achievements of medical students: testifying mediating effect of learning strategies.

The purpose of this study is to identify possible causal relationships among personality traits, emotional status, learning strategies, and academic achievements of medical students and to testify mediating effect of learning strategies in these relationships. The study subjects are 424 medical students in the academic year of 2020 at the Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea. Using the Multi-dimensional Learning Strategy Test-II, we assessed the students' academic achievements with personality traits, emotional status, and learning strategies. This study employed Structural Equation Modelling to explore the causal relationships among the latent variables. In the path model, personality traits directly affected academic achievements (β=0.285, p&lt;0.05) and indirectly affected academic achievements via emotional status (β=0.063, p&lt;0.01) and via learning strategies (β=0.244, p&lt;0.05), respectively. Further, personality traits indirectly affected academic achievements via emotional status first and learning strategies next (β=0.019, p&lt;0.05). Personality traits indirectly affected academic achievements through three multiple paths in the model (β=0.326, p&lt;0.05). Learning strategies partially mediated the relationship between personality traits and academic achievements as well as the relationship between emotional status and academic achievements of medical students. Study findings proved constructing the causal relationships among personality traits, emotional status, learning strategies, and academic achievements of medical students, thus supporting our hypotheses. Early habits of self-regulated learning are essential for the successful academic achievements of medical students. Therefore, medical students should know how to regulate personality traits and control emotional status, significantly affecting learning strategies.

Effect of physical activity on academic achievement of medical students

Karolina Bogdanavičienė 1, Gerda Gudavičiūtė1, Silvija Valdonė Alšauskė1,2 1 Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania 2 Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, Department of Family Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania Summary Introduction. Physical activity is one of the most effective ways to maintain physical and mental health. Appropriate mental activity and good academic achievement are especially important for students, thus it is significant to further investigate whether regular physical activity has a positive effect on students’ academic achievement. Aim. To evaluate physical activity of medical students and to investigate the effect of physical activity on academic achievement of medical students. Methods. We performed an anonymous survey on October 10-18th of 2018 in Lithuanian University of Health Sciences. The survey was presented to 300 LSMU medical students and 170 students have filled the questionnaire (response rate – 57%). Differences between the investigated groups were considered statistically significant when p<0,05. Statistical analysis of data was performed using software package „IBM SPSS Statistics 22”. Results. 31.5% of students engage in regular physical activity, 25.0% of students state that they do not exercise. 27.1% engage in regular physical activity longer than one year. Most common types of sport among medical students are running, gym and individual exercises at home. 41.2% of study participants have noticed an improvement of their academic performance after they started engaging in regular physical activity. 50.0% of students have not observed any significant change of their academic results. However, comparison of academic achievement of physically active and non-active students disclosed a statistically significant difference between these two groups – students who engage in regular physical activity have a significantly (p<0.05) higher average of their grades than those students who do not exercise on regular basis. Conclusion. One third of medical students engage in regular physical activity, others exercise rarely, irregularly or do not exercise at all. Students who engage in regular physical activity have a significantly (p<0.05) higher average of their grades than those students who do not exercise on regular basis. Keywords: physical activity, academic achievements, students

Personality and brain contribute to academic achievements of medical students.

There are many factors that influence the academic achievements of medical students, but how personality and brain modulate the academic achievements of medical students remains unclear. The study collected the personality, brain imaging, and academic data from 448 medical students at Tianjin Medical University with admission time between 2008 and 2017. Four types of academic achievements, including behavioral and social sciences, clinical sciences and skills, basic biomedical sciences, and scientific methods, were assessed by the academic records of 58 courses. Personality was evaluated by Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire and Neuroticism Extraversion Openness Personality Inventory. Brain structural and functional properties, including gray matter volume, spontaneous brain activity and functional connectivity, were computed based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between personality and academic achievements. A voxel-wise correlation was used to identify areas of the brain where structural and functional properties were associated with academic achievements. Mediation analysis was used to test whether brain properties and personality independently contribute to academic achievements. Our results showed that novelty seeking (NS) was negatively correlated, and conscientiousness was positively correlated with all types of academic achievements. Brain functional properties showed negatively correlated with academic achievement in basic biomedical sciences. However, we did not find any mediation effect of the brain functional properties on the association between personality (NS and conscientiousness) and academic achievement in basic biomedical sciences, nor mediation effect of the personality (NS and conscientiousness) on the association between brain functional properties and academic achievement in basic biomedical sciences. These findings suggest that specific personality (NS and conscientiousness) and brain functional properties independently contribute to academic achievements in basic biomedical sciences, and that modulation of these properties may benefit academic achievements among medical students.