Perceptions Of Medical Students Research Articles

Perception of undergraduate medical students toward online learning in comparison with traditional learning

Background: The E-Learning has significant impact in developing medical education and accepted by medical students. It can be used either as sole platform for teaching or can be integrated with traditional teaching. However, during the time of COVID-19 outbreak, online learning was ahead and continued to provide education in the pandemic phase. Aims and Objectives: The study was aimed to assess medical students’ perception toward usefulness and challenges of online learning and to compare the students’ perception toward online learning and traditional learning. Materials and Methods: This survey based educational study was carried out among total no of 501 undergraduate medical students of our institution. A pre-validated structured feedback questionnaire was sent to the participants and the response was collected. Results: Out of 501 students, a total number of 201 (40.11%) students experienced that the online learning is not comfortable as well as it is exhausting in comparison of face to face learning. About 255 (50.8%) students thought that online learning does not motivate students for interactive learning. It was found that 52% students preferred traditional with online learning, 41.51% students liked face to face learning while only 6.38% students have chosen only online learning. Conclusion: The online learning has its own advantages but, classroom-based learning is still most preferred by students for effective learning in terms of motivation and interaction. However, it can be incorporated in traditional learning for better teaching learning experience.

Perceptions of undergraduate medical students regarding online classes during COVID-19 pandemic: A questionnaire survey

Background: The nationwide lockdown due to coronavirus disease pandemic lead to shutdown of medical colleges. Due to which, it was not possible to teach students in classrooms anymore. To continue with their teaching, the option of online classes was recommended. Aims and Objectives: This study was conducted with an aim to evaluate students’ perceptions regarding online lectures. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, and questionnaire survey conducted among medical college students in Uttar Pradesh, India. Online lectures were delivered routinely using online applications for 8 weeks which was followed by offline regular classes. A pre-approved, pre-validated semi-structured questionnaire containing 13 close-ended multiple-choice questions was distributed through Google forms as well as in person among all the medical students using a non-probability sampling approach after taking their informed consent. The collected data were organized and tabulated using Google spreadsheet and descriptive statistics was used to depict the results. Results: A total of 193 responses were obtained from MBBS students of first and second phase. The mean age of students was 18.73 ± 1.87 years. Mobile phones (63.21%) were the most popular device used by the students to attend classes. More than half of the students (57%) were self-motivated to attend online classes. The major barrier to online learning as reported by 76.68% students was network issues. About 44% students reported lower understanding of subject compared to offline classes. About 70.47% felt online classes to be more comfortable to attend. More number of students either preferred offline method (37.82%) or a mix of both the methods (34.20%). Conclusion: Online lectures are effective teaching method, but they cannot replace classroom teaching. Thus, online teaching serves as add-on to the offline learning.

Insights of Medical Students and Graduates Toward Electronic Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Lebanon: A National Cross-Sectional Study.

This study examines the perceptions of Lebanese medical students and graduates regarding the switch to electronic learning (e-learning) and measures their psychological distress amid the COVID-19 pandemic, compounded by an unprecedented financial collapse and the August 4 Beirut blast. This is a national cross-sectional descriptive study, consisting of a 48-item questionnaire, diffused online to Lebanese medical students between February 8 and 21, 2021. The survey divided into 5 sections assesses for (1) Sociodemographic information, (2) implemented changes in medical education delivery precipitated by the pandemic, (3) students' perceptions regarding the effectiveness, advantages, and barriers of e-learning, and (4) role of e-learning in clinical training. Finally, students' psychological distress was measured, using the Kessler 10-item distress scale (K10). Descriptive analyses were performed using Stata version 13 and Excel. 1060 responses were recorded (27% response rate) across all Lebanese medical schools. Although 71.6% of participants found e-learning to be stimulating, half of the participants thought it was not equally effective to face-to-face learning. Around 73.1% of students felt they were not able to learn hands-on clinical skills. Lebanese students identified cost savings (food, transportation etc) and poor internet connectivity are the most common advantage and barrier, respectively; 77.8% of participants showed high/very high levels of distress (K10 score ≥22). Ensuring accessibility and availability of resources such as electricity and internet is of utmost priority. Lebanese medical schools need to incorporate clinical training experiences to their virtual platforms to maintain the quality of medical education to their students. A particular attention to students' mental health is warranted, by increasing awareness and access to mental health services.

Perception of Saudi undergraduate medical students on telemedicine training and its implementation.

The use of telemedicine has increased considerably in healthcare delivery, especially during this time of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. It has, therefore, become necessary to train medical students to better equip them for this new means of healthcare delivery. The aim of the present study was to assess the perception of undergraduate medical students on telemedicine training. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a total of 521 undergraduate medical students studying in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected via a self-administered pretested questionnaire comprising two main sections: demographics and knowledge and opinions regarding telemedicine training. About 73% students think that the use of telemedicine for patient care will increase in the future, and 59.3% think that the medical students should be trained in telemedicine. Majority of the students (78%) opined that telemedicine training should be optional and 58% said it should be taught during the clinical phase of the undergraduate curriculum. The best telemedicine training course learning objectives medical students opined to be included were: telemedicine practical skills (70.2%), legal aspects of telemedicine practice (68.3%), and potential positive and/or negative use of telemedicine tools and methods (67.6%). Telemedicine skills students would like to learn how to effectively engage patients, knowledge about telemedicine regulations and the consequences of breaching them. Medical students are aware of the importance of incorporating telemedicine training into the medical curriculum. Training these students is vital to ensure their competence as physicians in their future clinical careers, that is make them a digitally health-literate future workforce.

Perception and reflections of second year medical students on attitude, ethics, and communication skills module on patient autonomy and decision making in a tertiary care teaching hospital

Perception and reflections of second year medical students on attitude, ethics, and communication skills module on patient autonomy and decision making in a tertiary care teaching hospital

Perceptions of the undergraduate medical students about roleplay, a teaching/learning and training tool: A descriptive cross-sectional study

Perceptions of the undergraduate medical students about roleplay, a teaching/learning and training tool: A descriptive cross-sectional study

Medical students' perceptions of the educational environment in a private medical school in Southwest Nigeria.

The educational environment plays a very important role in determining the overall performance of students. The aim of this study is to determine the perceptions of undergraduate medical students about their educational environment in a Nigerian university. This was an observational, cross-sectional study conducted among final-year (600 level) undergraduate medical students. The Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire was used for the study to assess the educational environment of the medical students. A total number of 100 final-year (600 level) undergraduate medical students participated in the study, out of which 27 (27.0%) were males and 73 (73.0%) were females with a male-to-female ratio of 0.37 to 1. The age range of the respondents was 21-30 years with a mean (±SD) of 23.54 (±1.403). The total mean DREEM score was 116.2/200. The total score of SPL domain was 30.2/48 (62.9%). The total score of SPT domain was 27.3/44 (62.0%), while that of SASP was 19.2/32 (60.0%). The total score of SPA domain was 26.6/48 (55.4%) and that of SSP was 13.1/28 (46.8%). For the SPL, SPT, SASP, and SPA domains, the score was above 50%. However, for the SSP domain the score was less than 50%. The total mean DREEM score in this study was 116.2/200, more positives than negatives, with the students' social perspective having the least domain score. There is a need to provide adequate social support system for medical students in general and particularly for those who get stressed.

Factors and perceptions of medical undergraduate students influencing their choice of specialty

Factors and perceptions of medical undergraduate students influencing their choice of specialty

Diretivas antecipadas de vontade na percepção de estudantes de Medicina

Abstract: Introduction: The patient’s autonomy in making decisions about their life and about diagnostic and therapeutic approaches related to their health has been the object of growing social value. Then advanced directives appear to express the patient’s last will, safeguarding the Principle of Autonomy. During the undergraduate learning process, students are committed to life, and all of their training is based on technical aspects. Only a small part of the curriculum covers specific contents focused on terminal illness, when present. Medicine has evolved with important technological advances that resulted in quality-of-life improvement, but also brought a questionable extension of life, with often unjustifiable treatments and a therapeutic obstinacy to maintain life at any cost. Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the perception of medical students about end-of-life directives. Method: A descriptive qualitative research was carried out through an individual and semi-structured interview, applied through Google forms. Due to the period of pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2, the survey was carried out remotely, in accordance with current national legislation. After the target was attained through sample exhaustion, the responses of 13 students were analyzed. Results: In accordance with the elements, steps and methodological criteria, the obtained information was classified and arranged into two categories: Human Dignity and Patient Autonomy; Knowledge of Advance Will Directives. Conclusion: This qualitative analysis brought to light important topics such as the regulation that guides advance will directives and principles that involve bioethics, to consolidate the respect, autonomy and dignity of the patient who is, or will be, undergoing the terminality of life.

Perceptions of 1st-year MBBS students and 1st-year medical faculties toward AETCOM-based medical curriculum

Background: The field of medical education is constantly evolving to meet the demands of an ever-changing health-care landscape. To address the dynamic challenges faced by medical professionals, medical colleges across the globe are adopting innovative and comprehensive approaches to curriculum design. One such approach that has gained significant attention is the attitude, ethics, and communication (AETCOM) based medical curriculum, which emphasizes developing not only clinical knowledge and technical skills but also ethical values, empathetic communication, and a patient-centric approach among medical students. Aim and Objective: This study aims to record the perceptions of medical students and faculties regarding the effectiveness of AETCOM modules. Materials and Methods: This is an analytical cross-sectional study performed in October 2022 where a pre-validated questionnaire consisting of components of AETCOM was e-mailed to the 1st-year MBBS students of Jhalawar Medical College and teaching faculties of Jhalawar Medical College through Google Forms. The results were analyzed by statistics is a statistical software suite 23.0 (trail version) and the Chi-square test was used for data analysis and P < 0.05 is considered significant. Results: About 95% of students have positive perceptions regarding the mandatory inclusion of AETCOM competencies. However, only 73.3% of faculties have positive perceptions regarding the mandatory inclusion of AETCOM competencies and 26.7% completely disagree with the beneficial role of mandatory inclusion of AETCOM competencies in competency-based medical education curriculum. Conclusions: A hybrid problem-oriented approach is one of the most effective ways for students to promote communication skills, in building doctor-patient relationships and understanding the professional qualities and roles of a physician.

Adequacy of Orthopaedic Surgery Educational Teaching Methods amongst Medical Students in Enugu State.

Orthopaedic surgery educational teaching methods for medical students vary across different tertiary institutions in Nigeria. To determine the perception of medical students on the adequacy of orthopaedic surgery teaching methods in Enugu state, Nigeria. A cross-sectional online survey conducted using a well-structured questionnaire with the Google forms software and distributed to final year medical students at the two tertiary universities in Enugu state via online forums. SPSS was used for analysis. Significance set at P < 0.05. 106 final year medical students filled the form. Response rate was 65.1%. 85.8% of the respondents reported that every student gets posted for orthopaedic surgery while 53% agreed that graphical illustrations were used. 50% reported that the learning environment were serene whereas 94.3% reported that their lecturers are well-trained. However, 55.6% reported that they do not have surgery simulations. Furthermore, 15.09% reported that they are aware of pitfalls in the teaching methods where only 27.36% alluded to using the library. There was no statistically significant association between gender and perception on quality of trainers/teaching methods of orthopaedic surgery in Enugu state (P value < 0.112). The orthopaedic surgery teaching methods currently being used are not adequate. Efforts should be made to increase the quality of exposure of medical students to orthopaedic surgery and increase the use of graphical illustrations/simulations.

Comparative analysis of education environment perception of 1st and 2nd year MBBS students of medical college using Dundee ready education environment measure

Background: The Dundee ready education environment measure (DREEM) inventory is a useful tool to identify the student’s perception of the educational environment at the medical colleges. Aims and Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate and compare the perception of educational environment of 1st and 2nd year undergraduate medical students of SBH Government Medical College Dhule, using DREEM inventory. Materials and Methods: Eighty-six students of 1st year and 92 students of 2nd year MBBS participated in this study. DREEM questionnaire was given to the students in a classroom after the scheduled routine teaching sessions by the teachers. Students were instructed to indicate best response for each item given in DREEM questionnaire. Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel. Results: The mean score of 1st year student for each domain was comparatively higher than the score of 2nd year students. Items that have a mean score of 3.5 or over were considered to be real positive points. Items with a mean between 2 and 3 were aspects of the great concern that could be improve. Items with a mean of 2 or less indicate problem areas. The overall DREEM score was 141.96 (70.87%). However, there were no significant differences in the overall DREEM score of 1st and 2nd year students. The overall DREEM score of 1st and 2nd year students was 141.96 (70.87%). However, there were no significant differences in the overall DREEM score of 1st and 2nd year students. Conclusions: DREEM is a useful tool to assess the educational environment and to give a clear indication of the education environment perception of medical students. The DREEM questionnaire reflects the realistic situation in medical colleges and can be utilized in a variety of situations to obtain baseline information.

Perception And Acceptability Of COVID-19 Vaccine Among Medical Students Of a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-sectional Study

Background- Coronavirus disease (Covid-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has affected more than 200 countries, creating havoc throughout the world. The accelerated development of the Covid-19 vaccine is thus vital development which created a milestone in the field of health. Vaccine hesitancy among the medical students and professionals might be a significant obstacles in implementing the vaccination drive programme. Objectives: 1) To assess the perception of medical students regarding COVID-19 vaccine. 2) To estimate the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccine among medical students of VIMSAR, Burla. 3) To determine the association of various factors with the perceptions and acceptability of COVID-19.Methodology: It was a cross-sectional study conducted for a period of 3months i.e August-October 2022 among the MBBS students of VIMSAR, Burla. The total sample size was 847. Results: 99.4%. of the students accepted Covid-19 as a fatal disease &amp; almost all of the students had heard and know about COVID-19 vaccine but 93.3% among them think the vaccine will prevent the disease and build the immunity but 77.4% accept the vaccine to be safe and effective. Social media(94.3%) and news channel(94.6%) were the most common source of information for them. Covid-19 vaccine was taken by 728(86%) of students. Regarding the adverse events following immunisation only 34.4% of the students have heard it.. The 1st year batch students had least perception &amp; acceptability on COVID-19 vaccine whereas maximum was seen among the final year students . The association between the various batches of MBBS students with the perception &amp; acceptability on COVID-19 was found to be significant with chi-square value 123.4981 &amp; 109.1895 respectively with P=0.001.Conclusion- Even though perception and acceptability about COVID-19 vaccine among the students is good but regarding the adverse events following immunisation many are unaware and are having lots of apprehension which could be dealt with proper sensitisation meetings.

Medical student perceptions of the scope of plastic and reconstructive surgery in Saudi Arabia

Background: Reconstructive surgery is performed on body parts damaged due to a disease or another adverse condition to restore the appearance and function to the point before the damage. This study aimed at assessing the scope of knowledge about plastic and reconstructive surgery among the medical students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: A cross-sectional study of a convenience sample was conducted to assess the awareness of medical students&amp;apos; perceptions of the scope of plastic and reconstructive surgery in Saudi Arabia. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to all Saudi medical students using the convenience sampling technique. A total of 814 participants completed the study. The data were analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 26 Results: A total of 814 participants were included in this study. Participants were divided by school year: 212 (26%) of the participants were in the second year, 94 (11.5%) were in the third year, 148 (18.2%) were in the fourth year, 89 (10.9%) were in the fifth year, 145 (17.8%) were in the sixth year, and 126 (15.5%) were interns. As for the participants&amp;apos; regions in Saudi Arabia, 179 (22%) were from the central region, 126 (15.5%) were from the eastern region, 117 (14.4%) were from the northern region, 145 (17.8%) were from the western region, and 247 (30.3%) were from the southern region. Conclusion: The knowledge of plastic surgery among medical students was found inadequate. Medical students are more familiar with burn treatment and the aesthetic aspect of plastic surgery (such as rhinoplasty, breast reconstruction, and cleft lip correction).

COVID-19 vaccine – Knowledge, Attitude and practices among medical students in Hyderabad

Abstract Today as a lot of COVID 19 vaccines are available and are currently used, we conducted a study to assess the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of medical students in our college. An online survey was conducted through GOOGLE forms. In this study total participants are 155 medical students of which 28.4% (n=44) males and 71.6% (n=111) are females. Effectiveness of vaccine as perceived by participants in our study is 65.2%. The safety of the vaccine as considered by participants in this study is 55.5% In this study it was also noticed that when gender is compared with effectiveness and safety of vaccine both males and females felt equally it is effective as well as safe to take vaccine. There is a need to increase trust among our medical students. The elements that define and build trust must be understood and interventions like health awareness programs as role plays, talks on social media involving known personalities can be undertaken and crafted accordingly to improve the knowledge regarding COVID 19. Most of the seniors shared their readiness to take the vaccine than junior students. It was also found that seniors felt that they do not get enough information about vaccines when compared to juniors. The main source of information regarding COVID 19 vaccine for majority of the participants i.e., 71% (n=110) was through internet and social media and 16.8% (n=26) get from health care workers and the least number of participants got information from family and friends. Hence social media and internet can be used in a more appropriate way to remove vaccine hesitancy.

Perceptions of medical students regarding the anatomy curriculum and its relevance to clinical activities

Knowledge of anatomy is crucial for safe and efficient clinical practice. Therefore, it is important to have a structured curriculum and teaching methodologies for efficient learning by the students. In this context, curriculum should be reformed based on students’ feedback and expert opinions. This descriptive cross-sectional study was to assess the perceptions of medical students regarding the anatomy curriculum and its relevance to clinical activities based on the feedback of gross anatomy teaching from medical students of para clincal and clinical studies. A Self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 319 students. Nearly 65 – 71 % of the students have mentioned that the time allocated to learn anatomy is sufficient for them. Nearly 86 % of the students have commented to have case-based learning to improve the clinical relevance of anatomy. Regarding the assessment, 75 % of students said to include more case scenarios in essay. Results of our study demonstrated that anatomy syllabus is adequate to integrate with clinical practice and the time allocated to learn anatomy is sufficient.

Scoping review of medical students' perceptions of the field of dermatology.

Although perceived barriers to applying to dermatology have been researched among medical students, there remains a dearth of literature dedicated to understanding perceptions that medical students have of the field of dermatology and dermatologists. A review of the literature in Embase, Pubmed, Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect were carried out to identify articles and abstracts between 2016 and 2021 relating to medical student perceptions of the field of dermatology. Peer-reviewed English studies measuring attitudes/level of interest in dermatology or other specialities, understanding of dermatologic topics, procedures, and/or scope of practice were included. Duplicate studies and conference abstracts were excluded. All publications were screened using the PRISMA-Sc guidelines. Findings were summarised and tabulated accordingly. A total of nine articles met inclusion criteria and eight are included in this review since one was not accessible online. Notable findings include non-US medical students perceiving dermatology as monotonous, stigmatized, unfamiliar, and difficult to access with a misunderstanding of the diversity and severity of the conditions dermatologists treat. No data on US medical student perceptions was found. Perceptions were found to be influential in career planning: medical students may reject specialities after exposure to negative comments on the field. Factors attracting students to dermatology include the appeal of being a dermatologist, media portrayal, and dermatologists' influence on patients' lives. Completion of dermatology-related activities improved medical student interest, comfort, and understanding of the field. Early dermatology exposure in US undergraduate premedical students led to heightened interest in the field, more confidence in ability to find dermatology mentors, and increased perception that dermatology serves the needs of underserved communities. This review demonstrates the need to further investigate medical student perceptions of dermatology, particularly in the United States. Perceptions of medical specialities can impact medical student career choices. Understanding which misconceptions may be preventing students from exploring dermatology can inform efforts towards improving diversity, equity, and inclusion: translating to an equitable match and improving patient outcomes. Limitations include exclusion of articles published before 2016, geographic variability in studies, and limited data on evolving student perceptions over time.

Underrepresented in medicine students’ perspectives on impactful medical education

BackgroundExploring the perceptions of underrepresented in medicine (URiM) students about the medical education curriculum and learning environment could optimize their education outcomes. The current study delineated perceptions of URiM medical students about the unique elements and characteristics of an impactful medical education program that create a positive, supportive learning environment culture.MethodsWe conducted in-depth interviews with 15 URiM students between January 2018 and April 2018. Interviewees were recruited from an accredited medical education program in Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The University is also a member of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities in the U.S. The main question that guided the study was, “What do URiM students at a Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) medical school believe would make a medical education program (MEP) impactful?” We used the grounded theory analytical approach and performed content analysis via qualitative thematic evaluation.ResultsOf 112 enrolled medical students (MS), 15 verbally consented to participation. We identified four general themes and several subthemes. The themes include 1) Grounding learning in the community; 2) Progressive system-based practice competency; 3) Social justice competency and 4) Trauma-informed medical education delivery. Theme 1 included the following subthemes (a) community engagement, and (b) student-run clinic, mobile clinic, and homeless clinic rotations. Theme 2 includes (a) interprofessional learning and (b) multidisciplinary medicine for cultivating a ‘just’ healthcare system. Theme 3 includes (a) longitudinal social justice curriculum, (b) advocacy, and (c) health disparity research. Theme 4 had the following subdomains (a) early and ongoing mentoring and (b) provision of supportive policies, services and practices to maximize learning and mental health.ConclusionOur learners found that social justice, trauma-informed, community-based curricula are impactful for URiM learners. These findings highlight the need for further research to assess the impact of permeating the championship culture, community cultural wealth, and transformational education in all aspects of the MEP in providing a supporting and positive learning environment for URiM students.

Evaluation of Medical Specialization Education Students' Perceptions of Hospital Education Environment and Affecting Factors

Aim: Our aim in this study is to determine the perceptions of medical residency students studying at a university about the hospital education environment and the factors affecting it.&#x0D; Methods: This was a descriptive study. The population of the research consisted of specialty students studying at Sivas Cumhuriyet University. The research questionnaire was sent to the participants via text message to their personal mobile phone numbers. Informed consent was obtained from the participants on the first page of the survey link sent to them. The data collection tool used in the study included a total of 71 questions. The first part was created by the researchers through literature review and included 31 questions. The other 40 questions were Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure (PHEEM).&#x0D; Results: 266 of the 387 residency students in the faculty participated in the survey (Response rate: 68.7%). 79% of residency students studying in medical sciences and 56% in surgical sciences participated in the research. 11.7% (n=23) of residents from medical sciences and 28.6% (n=20) of residents from surgical sciences stated that no seminar hours were held. Postgraduate Hospital Educational Environment Measure mean score of the residency students was found to be 83.6 ± 25.5. The mean score did not differ significantly between departments (p=0.578). Those who thought that there were enough residents and faculty members had higher educational environment measure scores (respectively p=0.010 and p

Medical Students Perception about the Donation and Transplantation of Organs and Tissues

Objective: To evaluate medical students’ perception about organ and tissue donation and transplantation. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study, with quantitative analysis, which evaluated students from the 1st to the 12th semester of the Bahia Medical School of the Bahia Federal University (FMB/UFBA), grouped by year of graduation (1st to 6th year), through a questionnaire. Data were statistically analyzed using R for Windows, considering significant values of p ≤ 0.05. Results: Of the 393 participants, 207 (52.7%) were female, 250 (63.3%) were between 21 to 25 years old, 144 (36.6%) had no religion, and 80 (20.3%) were boarding students. Of all the interviewees, 159 (40.5%) self-assessed their knowledge as regular and 153 (38.8%) as bad and terrible. About the exposure to the subject, 222 (56.6%) had never attended a class and, among those who had, 187 (60.1%) evaluated the information as insufficient. A total of 324 students (82.4%) would have the intention of being a post-mortem donor and 42 (61.6%) would accept to participate in a living donor transplantation, although 245 (62.3%) said they did not know the risks. Among the students, 327 (83.2%) said they knew the concept of brain death, 119 (30.3%) the legal terms of donation, and 105 (26.7%) the donor maintenance measures. However, 72 (18.3%) said they had a good knowledge of how to diagnose brain death. A total of 275 (70%) got right what is needed to declare a donor. There were 359 answers that would exclude alcoholics, smokers and users of illicit drugs from the transplant list, and 363 (92.7%) considered that the severity of the problem is the most appropriate criterion for priority on the waiting list. Conclusion: Students perceive their level of knowledge as unsatisfactory and understanding about specific issues is still low. No significant influence of sociodemographic aspects was observed regarding the desire to be a donor.