Preclinical Years Research Articles

Navigating beyond a veterinary career to One Health and its practical applications.

Becoming a vet was among many career options for Sinthu Devkumar and after intercalating in the social sciences during her preclinical years, the role of interdisciplinary research started to shape her future career path.

Reflection and self-efficacy for clinical skills.

Clinical skills are fundamental to medical school curriculums and typically introduced within the preclinical years. In their experiential learning, students' self-efficacy, or the belief in their ability to succeed, is an important factor in influencing clinical skill mastery. Reflection is thought to affect self-efficacy; however, its exact impacts remain largely unexplored within published literature. This mixed methods study investigated whether preclinical students' engagement with reflection affected self-efficacy for clinical skills. Two hundred seventy-three of the 289 preclinical medical students who were invited to participate responded to this 2022 study. We used validated questionnaires to measure engagement with reflection and perceived self-efficacy for clinical skills, conducting hierarchical multiple linear regression for analysis. Thirteen students participated in semi-structured interviews and focus groups, which were analysed via thematic analysis. While statistical analysis showed no significant effects of engaging with reflection on clinical skill self-efficacy, thematic analysis suggested that students perceived the opposite. The themes through which reflection affected self-efficacy were by 'evaluation of performances' against expected outcomes, 'familiarisation and understanding of skills', by 'transforming personal mindsets' and allowing students to 'connect to their emotions'. This study suggests that engaging with reflection can positively or negatively affect self-efficacy for clinical skills, depending on students' attitudes towards reflective practice. Solely engaging with reflection is insufficient to alter self-efficacy beliefs and should be considered alongside personal factors including the individual's mindset and perceived need for reflection. The medical educator's role in facilitating reflection is important, enabling students to reap the benefits of this practice.

Development of a Generalist Competency Framework for Medical Education Leaders in Longitudinal Integrated Curricula (LILIC)

AbstractRecent shifts in health professions education have prompted significant curriculum reforms toward multidisciplinary, longitudinally integrated courses during the pre-clinical and clinical years of medical school curricula. Faculty who are accustomed to managing discipline-specific courses must now be trained to meet the challenges of implementing new integrated courses. Skills and competencies for Leaders in Longitudinal Integrated Curricula (LILIC) must be identified for faculty development efforts and to assist administrators in recognizing the attributes of well-qualified course/curriculum directors for their appointment/hiring decisions. Drawing on the collective expertise of faculty from multiple medical schools, we developed a framework to meet this new need. Herein, we present a shared mental model, a framework, and higher-level attributes important for the development of these curricular leaders. A proposed development process and future directions for this framework are also presented, underscoring its potential impact on faculty development and the broader educational landscape in health professions.

Going back to anatomy roots: Exploring the integration of anatomy sessions during clinical clerkships.

The topic of vertical integration of the basic and clinical sciences is an area of great concern and active investigation in medical education. To explore the feasibility of integrating basic sciences into the clinical phase of medical education, gross anatomy was selected as an appropriate discipline. Anatomy faculty, clerkship directors, medical students, and graduate students developed case-based anatomy modules with a design consistent with the principles of self-directed learning. This pilot study aimed to explore medical student responses to the integration of anatomy sessions during clinical clerkships. One-hour anatomy sessions were conducted during rotations of the following clerkships: internal medicine, pediatrics, family medicine, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, and general surgery during the academic year 2022-2023. Each session consisted of four case-based stations. Voluntary, anonymous surveys were distributed at the end of each session. Descriptive statistics of survey responses from the 490 participants revealed the overall ratings of the anatomy sessions to be above an 8.50 on a scale of 1.00 (low) to 9.00 (high). A small q thematic analysis of the open-ended survey questions revealed the following themes: relevance of clinical correlations presented, a timely review of anatomical content, appreciation for the collaborative setting and interactivity among the participants, and constructive feedback regarding areas needing improvement. Students reported a high overall rating of the anatomy sessions and shared positive comments about these vertically integrated anatomy experiences. With a reduction in the amount of anatomy instruction during the pre-clinical years and limited exposure during the clinical years, anatomy sessions like the ones proposed could allow for the fluid incorporation of gross anatomy across all 4 years of medical school.

From books to the bedside: post-graduation impact of 'Week On the Wards' on medical education

BackgroundThe transition between preclinical and clinical years during medical school has been shown to be challenging. Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) implements one required two-week-long shadowing program for first and one one-week-long shadowing program for second-year medical students called Week On the Wards (WOW). The goal of this study is to ascertain whether students who completed the WOW curriculum found it beneficial over the long-term. Specifically, we want to evaluate alumni’s impression of the program’s influence on career, specialty choice, professional development, personal development, and confidence.MethodsTo evaluate our program, we developed, validated, and distributed a survey via email in the autumn of 2023. Our population included alumni from the classes of 2019–2022, irrespective of race and gender. After following steps for survey development, it was validated via focus group using qualitative methods. The survey consisted of 19 questions answerable on a 5-point Likert scale, a “Yes/No/Unsure/Maybe” section, and an optional open-ended response question. Descriptive analysis was done to report the percent responses.ResultsThe survey was emailed to 353 alumni, with 72 completed responses returned. Majority of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the WOW program showcased the importance of teamwork in medicine (80.6%), helped them learn to apply medical knowledge (77.8%), influenced their decision regarding which residency/specialty they chose (72.2%), provided an example of how teamwork in medicine is necessary for patient safety and effective care (66.6%), and increased their confidence in their networking skills (66.6%). Alumni nearly unanimously agreed that the WOW program was a useful part of their medical school education (93.1%) and that it should be continued for future classes (94.4%).ConclusionOur results highlight the sustained importance of early preclinical exposure to clinical environments in students’ future career decisions, in their understanding of the clinical applications of learned preclinical topics, and the importance of teamwork in medicine.

Evaluating the impact of structured POCUS training during internal medicine clerkship and residency training

Background: Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS) is a vital tool in rheumatology for detecting pathologies like osteophytes and joint effusion. Its integration into rheumatology electives during internal medicine clerkship and residency is limited, despite its emphasis in pre-clinical years. Methods: In this QIRB-approved, single-center, prospective study (2022–2023), third- and fourth-year medical students and internal medicine residents in a two-week rheumatology elective voluntarily completed online surveys. These surveys assessed their confidence using POCUS in rheumatology, using a 5-point Likert scale. Results: A survey of 25 residents and 10 medical students found that 84% of residents and 90% of students rated POCUS training as valuable or very valuable. Both groups felt more confident identifying knee joint effusion (average scores: 3.5 for students, 2.6 for residents) compared to other ultrasound techniques and pathologies. Confidence was lower in hip ultrasounds (2.20 for students, 1.68 for residents) and chondrocalcinosis identification (2.20 for students, 1.76 for residents). Among participants, 28% of residents and 70% of students had prior informal POCUS training. Previous training significantly increased comfort levels, with average scores of 2.86 for students and 2.30 for residents, compared to 2.69 and 1.91 for those without prior training (P-values: <0.001). Conclusion: Prior experience significantly enhances confidence and comfort, reinforcing the need for early, comprehensive, and targeted POCUS training in medical curricula to address proficiency gaps. Keywords: Education, medical, undergraduate, rheumatology, point-of-care systems, ultrasonography

Perspectives of osteopathic medical students on preclinical urology exposure: a single institution cross-sectional survey.

There is an increasing number of medical school graduates opting for surgical specialties, and the osteopathic applicant match rate for urology is lower than that of allopathic applicants. Factors influencing this may include alack of interest, perceived challenges in matching into urology, insufficient urology mentorship, limited research opportunities, and inadequate osteopathic representation in urology. The objective of this survey is to assess osteopathic medical students' perspectives on pursuing urology and enhancing preclinical exposure to and knowledge of urology. A 20-question survey addressing experiences andthe factors influencing osteopathic medical students' specialty selection and their interest in and perception of urology was designed by the investigators on Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap) software. This survey was distributed via email listserv to all current osteopathic medical students attending Nova Southeastern University Dr. Kiran C. Patel College of Osteopathic Medicine over 2months. Responses were collected and analyzed utilizing Fisher's exact test. Among 150 respondents, 91 % found mentors crucial in selecting a medical specialty, 95 % emphasized the importance of early exposure, and 68 % lacked familiarity with urology, with more M1 students unfamiliar with urology compared to M2 (70.4 % vs. 59 %). A larger proportion of combined M1 and M2 (preclinical) students are considering urology as a specialty compared to M3 and M4 (clinical) students who are actively on rotations (56.5 % vs. 28.6 %; p=0.0064). Also, a greater percentage of males are considering urology compared to females (64.2 % vs. 42.7 %; p=0.0164). Among those considering urology (n=75), 57.3 % lack awareness of urology's scope, and 84 % report no preclinical discussions with urologists. Those students who report that they are considering urology value early exposure significantly more than others (98.7 % vs. 78.7 %; p=0.0001). They also express greater interest in having acore urology course (73.3 % vs. 38.7 %; p<0.0001). More urology-considering students are interested in extracurricular urology-related workshops, seminars, or conferences (61.3 % vs. 17.3 %; p<0.0001). Students who are considering urology as a specialty show greater interest in having a mentorship program (85.3 % vs. 28 %; p<0.0001). Results suggested that increased urology exposure during the preclinical years is important. Urology elective offerings and urology mentorship are of high interest among those considering urology. However, additional investigation is needed to determine the impact ofpreclinical urology curricula implementation on urology match outcomes.

Biometrically measured sleep in medical students as a predictor of psychological health and academic experiences in the preclinical years

ABSTRACT Background Student wellness is of increasing concern in medical education. Increased rates of burnout, sleep disturbances, and psychological concerns in medical students are well documented. These concerns lead to impacts on current educational goals and may set students on a path for long-term health consequences. Methods Undergraduate medical students were recruited to participate in a novel longitudinal wellness tracking project. This project utilized validated wellness surveys to assess emotional health, sleep health, and burnout at multiple timepoints. Biometric information was collected from participant Fitbit devices that tracked longitudinal sleep patterns. Results Eighty-one students from three cohorts were assessed during the first semester of their M1 preclinical curriculum. Biometric data showed that nearly 30% of the students had frequent short sleep episodes (<6 hours of sleep for at least 30% of recorded days), and nearly 68% of students had at least one episode of three or more consecutive days of short sleep. Students that had consecutive short sleep episodes had higher rates of stress (8.3%) and depression (5.4%) symptoms and decreased academic efficiency (1.72%). Conclusions Biometric data were shown to significantly predict psychological health and academic experiences in medical students. Biometrically assessed sleep is poor in medical students, and consecutive days of short sleep duration are particularly impactful as it relates to other measures of wellness. Longitudinal, biometric data tracking is feasible and can provide students the ability to self-monitor health behaviors and allow for low-intensity health interventions.

EVALUATING THE DENTAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT: A STUDENT-CENTRIC PRESPECTIVE ACROSS PRECLINICAL AND CLINICAL YEARS USING DUNDEE READY EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT MEASURE (DREEM) TOOL

Objectives: The learning environment has a profound role in students learning and success. It also has an integral role in the development of the curriculum. The aim of this study to evaluate the learning environment and compare dental students' perception of the learning environment of pre-clinical and clinical years. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2023 to April 2024. A total of 170 both male and female BDS students from all four years at the Bacha Khan College of Denistry were included in the study. A stratified random Sampling Method was used. Students migrated from other colleges in the middle of the sessions and students currently working as interns or house officers were excluded from the study. Dundee Ready Education Environment Measure (DREEM), a 50-item questionnaire that uses a 5-point Likert scale (4 = strongly agree to 0 = strongly disagree) was used to measure strength of agreement with statements on five domains of learning. Learning (L), Teaching (T), Academic self-perception (ASP), Atmosphere (A) and Social self-perception (SSP). Frequency distributions and descriptive statistics were tabulated in IBM SPSS (version 21). Mean scores for each dimension of learning were used for analysis. Comparative analysis was done using independent sample t test. Results: The DREEM questionnaire was completed by 147 students, 78 1st and 2nd year students (preclinical training phase) while 69 3rd and 4th year students. 34.6% of the participants were male and 66.6% were female. The mean age of the participants was 21.4 years (SD=1.72). Tukey's post hoc analysis within the participants revealed a significantly lower DREEM score of the Final year compared with the 1st year (p &lt; .003), and 3rd year (p&lt; 0.031). The items within each domain with the biggest signifi cant differences (p ≤ 0.05) was between Pre-Clinical Training Phase and Clinical training. Conclusion: This study examined the educational setting in our institution. The students of Bacha Khan College of Dentistry showed a predominantly satisfaction with their educational environment. The primary results indicated that students in the early stages of their studies, namely those in their pre-clinical years had positive opinions across all aspects of their learning environment. Overall, the findings from the study highlight the importance of understanding how students perceive their educational environment throughout diff erent stages of their dental training. By delving deeper into these differences and correlations, educators and administrators can make informed decisions to enhance the curriculum and ultimately improve the learning experience for students. This implies that a more tailored and effective approach to dental education could lead to better outcomes and preparedness for future dental professionals.

Assessment of Health Science Students' Knowledge of Ocular Chemical Injuries and Proper Immediate Action: A Cross-Sectional Study at King Khalid University.

Introduction Chemical injuries are considered to be one of the true ocular emergencies that require years of visual rehabilitation in addition to immediate medical intervention to maintain eyesight. Thus, it is imperative that medical professionals and the general public are both aware of the damage and how to treat it. Objective The current study's objectives were to determine what influences students' understanding of ocular first aid in trauma scenarios and to evaluate the degree of knowledge among health university students at King Khalid University. Methodology Between April 25, 2024, and June 25, 2024, King Khalid University of Saudi Arabia hosted a descriptive cross-sectional study aimed at medical students. Following a thorough examination of the literature and consultation with an expert, the study researchers created an online questionnaire to gather the data. Students' academic and demographic information, their source of information, and their understanding of ocular chemical damage were all included in the final questionnaire. Using social media sites, the completed questionnaire was posted online until no further responses could be found. Results A total of 358 health science students completed the study survey; their ages ranged from 18 to 30 years, with a mean age of 23.5±2.4 years. A total of 55 (15.4%) students were in their pre-clinical years, 199 (55.6%) were in their clinical years, and 104 (29.1%) were medical interns. A total of 152 (42.5%) students had an overall good knowledge of ocular chemical injuries, while most of them (57.5%; 206) had an overall poor knowledge level. As for students' sources of information, the most reported were their study curricula (46.9%), internet (22.4%), doctors (11.8%), family (9.8%), and friends (8.7%), while 1.2% had no specific source. Males and being in the clinical years were significantly associated with high knowledge (p<0.05). Conclusion According to the study, male students in clinical study years had the greatest level of understanding regarding eye chemical injury and related first aid, while health science students had the least amount of information overall.

Surface and deep learning: a blended learning approach in preclinical years of medical school

BackgroundSignificant challenges are arising around how to best enable peer communities, broaden educational reach, and innovate in pedagogy. While digital education can address these challenges, digital elements alone do not guarantee effective learning. This study reports a blended learning approach integrating online and face-to-face components, guided by the Student Approaches to Learning framework.MethodsThis study was carried out investigating learning in first and second year medical students over two academic years, 2019/20 and 2020/21. We evaluated: (1) comparison of students engaged with blended learning and traditional learning; and (2) student learning engaged with blended learning approach over a two-year preclinical curriculum. A revised two-factor study process questionnaire (R-SPQ-2F) evaluated students’ surface/deep learning before and after an academic year. Learning experience (LE) questionnaire was administered over the domains of learning engagement, and outcomes of learning approach. In-depth interviews were carried out to understand the context of students’ responses to the R-SPQ-2F and LE questionnaires.ResultsThe R-SPQ-2F analysis indicated first year students maintained deep learning but second year students became neutral across the academic year, regardless of learning approach, with workload contributing to this outcome. R-SPQ-2F sub-scales showed that students engaged with blended learning maintained an intrinsic interest to learning, as compared to traditional learning which led to surface learning motives. The LE questionnaire showed students engaged with blended learning had deeper subject interest, and more positive perceptions of workload, feedback, and effectively developed skills and knowledge. However, peer interactions from blended learning were significantly lacking. In-depth interviews revealed that the flexibility and multi-modality of blended learning enabled learning, but the best use of these features require teacher support. Online interactions could be cultivated through intentional institutional efforts.ConclusionsThis study highlights the importance of designing blended learning that leverages technology-enabled flexibility while prioritising collaborative, learner-centred spaces for deep engagement and knowledge construction.

Evaluation of Knowledge about Epilepsy among Undergraduate Health Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract Background Greater knowledge of undergraduate health students will provide quality care to patients with epilepsy. Most previous studies have targeted teachers, health care providers, and the general public. The purpose of this study was to assess the knowledge gaps of undergraduate health students on basic subjects of epilepsy, such as etiologies, symptoms, and treatment options. Methods Our study conducted a cross-sectional survey among undergraduate health students. We collected data using a descriptive information form. The chi-square test was employed to compare knowledge of seizure between demographic and academic variables. Results Of the total, 84.4% of students had read or heard about epilepsy. However, only 2.8% of students displayed good knowledge scores toward epilepsy. About 18.2 and 32% of students incorrectly identified that epilepsy could be due to possession by evil spirits and blood disorder, respectively. More than half of the students considered epilepsy to be nontreatable (52.1%) and a contagious disease (55.4%). Moreover, students in the advanced age group, medicine, and clinical years displayed significantly better knowledge scores than their peers (p &lt; 0.05). All dental college students revealed poor scores in terms of knowledge about epilepsy's causes, symptoms, and treatment. Conclusion Our findings concluded that most undergraduate health students demonstrated poor knowledge scores regarding epilepsy. Notably, students studying in dental college and preclinical years had a lower understanding of epilepsy than their peers. This finding suggests that introducing comprehensive epilepsy education in all health-related courses could improve patient care.

Prevalence of Depression and Generalized Anxiety Among LGBTQ+ Medical Students in Thailand.

This study evaluated the prevalence and associated factors of depression and generalized anxiety among LGBTQ+ in five medical schools in Thailand. The Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) were used to assess major depressive disorder (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), respectively, and multivariable logistic regression was employed to identify associated factors. Of 1,322 students, 412 (31.16%) identified as LGBTQ+. The prevalence for MDD and GAD among LGBTQ+ students were 32.77% and 17.23%, respectively. Significant associated factors for both MDD and GAD were a history of psychiatric illness (AOR for MDD = 2.32, p = .020; AOR for GAD = 3.67, p < .001), educational problems (AOR for MDD = 6.62, p < .001; AOR for GAD = 5.12, p < .001), and dissatisfaction with gender identity or sexual orientation (AOR for MDD = 1.92, p = .019; AOR for GAD = 2.47, p = .005). Additional factors associated with MDD were preclinical years (AOR = 2.30, p = .023), financial struggles (AOR = 2.05, p = .021), and inadequate peer support (AOR = 2.57, p = .044). In conclusion, nearly one-third and one-fifth of Thai LGBTQ+ medical students suffer from MDD and GAD, respectively. Our findings suggest that Thai medical schools should promote LGBTQ+ inclusivity to enhance students' identity satisfaction. Peer support groups should be encouraged, especially for preclinical LGBTQ+ students who face educational and financial challenges.

Medical students in distress: a mixed methods approach to understanding the impact of debt on well-being

BackgroundNearly three in four U.S. medical students graduate with debt in six-figure dollar amounts which impairs students emotionally and academically and impacts their career choices and lives long after graduation. Schools have yet to develop systems-level solutions to address the impact of debt on students’ well-being. The objectives of this study were to identify students at highest risk for debt-related stress, define the impact on medical students’ well-being, and to identify opportunities for intervention.MethodsThis was a mixed methods, cross-sectional study that used quantitative survey analysis and human-centered design (HCD). We performed a secondary analysis on a national multi-institutional survey on medical student wellbeing, including univariate and multivariate logistic regression, a comparison of logistic regression models with interaction terms, and analysis of free text responses. We also conducted semi-structured interviews with a sample of medical student respondents and non-student stakeholders to develop insights and design opportunities.ResultsIndependent risk factors for high debt-related stress included pre-clinical year (OR 1.75), underrepresented minority (OR 1.40), debt $20–100 K (OR 4.85), debt >$100K (OR 13.22), private school (OR 1.45), West Coast region (OR 1.57), and consideration of a leave of absence for wellbeing (OR 1.48). Mental health resource utilization (p = 0.968) and counselors (p = 0.640) were not protective factors against debt-related stress. HCD analysis produced 6 key insights providing additional context to the quantitative findings, and associated opportunities for intervention.ConclusionsWe used an innovative combination of quantitative survey analysis and in-depth HCD exploration to develop a multi-dimensional understanding of debt-related stress among medical students. This approach allowed us to identify significant risk factors impacting medical students experiencing debt-related stress, while providing context through stakeholder voices to identify opportunities for system-level solutions.

Effect of Stress on Sleep Quality among Medical Students: A Cross-sectional Study at Jazan University, Saudi Arabia.

It has long been understood that sleep is a necessary therapeutic element of human physiology and is crucial for healthy functioning, mental health, and quality of life. Medical students frequently minimize their sleep and habits to cope with their workload and their stressful lives, which has a negative influence on both mental health and academic performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of stress and its effect on sleep quality among medical students (in both the preclinical and clinical years) at Jazan University in Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional research design was applied in this study. The sample constituted medical students at Jazan University, Jazan region, Saudi Arabia. A self-administered online survey was distributed actively to measure the variables of interest. This study examined the sleep quality and psychological distress among 347 students. The findings revealed that a significant proportion of students experienced sleep difficulties, with 52.8% reporting mild sleep problems and 46.6% reporting moderate sleep difficulties. In addition, a notable percentage of participants (28.2%) reported very high psychological distress, while 27.4% experienced severe psychological distress. This study found that medical students had a high level of stress and poor sleep quality, which led to unhealthy habits, such as consuming many energy drinks. Hence, it is recommended that concerns should be addressed to minimize the risk of developing chronic illnesses.

Enhancing Medical School Student Well-being: A Comprehensive Analysis of Life101 Self-assessment Tool in Pre-clinical Years

Enhancing Medical School Student Well-being: A Comprehensive Analysis of Life101 Self-assessment Tool in Pre-clinical Years

Medical students’ coping strategies and burnout syndrome in preclinical and clinical years

Medical students’ coping strategies and burnout syndrome in preclinical and clinical years

Artificial intelligence to predict pre-clinical dental student academic performance based on pre-university results: A preliminary study.

Admission into dental school involves selecting applicants for successful completion of the course. This study aimed to predict the academic performance of Kulliyyah of Dentistry, International Islamic University Malaysia pre-clinical dental students based on admission results using artificial intelligence machine learning (ML) models, and Pearsoncorrelation coefficient (PCC). ML algorithms logistic regression (LR), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), and support vector machine (SVM) models were applied. Academic performance prediction in pre-clinical years was made using three input parameters: age during admission, pre-university Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA), and total matriculation semester. PCC was deployed to identify the correlation between pre-university CGPA and dental school grades. The proposed models' classification accuracy ranged from 29% to 57%, ranked from highest to lowest as follows: RF, SVM, DT, and LR. Pre-university CGPA was shown to be predictive of dental students' academic performance; however, alone they did not yield optimal outcomes. RF was the most precise algorithm for predicting grades A, B, and C, followed by LR, DT, and SVM. In forecasting failure, LR predicted three grades with the highest recall, SVM predicted two grades, and DT predicted one. RF performance was insignificant. The findings demonstrated the application of ML algorithms and PCC to predict dental students' academic performance. However, it was limited by several factors. Each algorithm has unique performance qualities, and trade-offs between different performance metrics may be necessary. No definitive model stood out as the best algorithm for predicting student academic success in this study.

Assessing the attitudes and knowledge of medical students towards Patient-Centred Care across different study years: A cross-sectional study.

To determine how medical students viewed the importance of patient-doctor communication, to assess their knowledge about patient-centred care, and to compare the attitudes of medical students in their pre-clinical and clinical years of study towards patient-centred care. The cross-sectional study was conducted from April to September 2023 at Federal Medical and Dental College, Islamabad, and Rawalpindi Medical University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and comprised medical students of either gender from 2nd to 5th academic year. Data was collected using the Patient-Practitioner Orientation Scale. Data was analysed using SPSS 27. Of the 322 students, 178(55.3%) were males and 144(44.7%) were females. The mean score was 3.60±0.47, while the sharing and caring sub-scores were 3.23±0.66 and 3.99±0.52, respectively. The attitude of students overall was slightly patient-centred. Different study years showed variance in patient-centred scores which were also affected by cultural, demographic and gender parameters (p<0.05). The attitude of the students leaned slightly towards patient-oriented behaviour.

Assessment of Preferred Learning Styles of Medical Students at Wah Medical College Using VARK Questionnaire

Objective: To assess the distribution of different learning styles and modalities among medical students and to identify any underlying association of socio-demographic characteristics of students with their preferred learning styles. Study design and setting: This is a cross-sectional survey which was conducted among medical students of Wah Medical College, Wah Cantt, for a duration of three months i.e. May 15th, 2023 to August 15th, 2023. Methodology: 271 students meeting the inclusion criteria were selected using the convenience sampling technique. Our data collection instrument was a questionnaire which consisted of two portions. The first portion was about the sociodemographic profile of the participants and the second portion consisted of the VARK questionnaire. Data was analysed using SPSS (version 23). The chi-square test was applied to determine the associations. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: A total of 271 students submitted the questionnaire with a mean age of 20 ± 1.7 years. The majority were female (62.4%). Kinesthetic learning was opted by 60.5% of students while quad-modal, tri-modal and bi-modal learning was opted by 35.1%, 33.2% and 31.7% of students respectively. The difference in learning styles used by students of varied clinical exposure was established (p=0.01). Conclusion: The most preferred learning style was kinesthetic and the majority of the students used quad-modal learning. It is also concluded that there is a difference in learning styles used by students in the pre-clinical and clinical years of medical education.