HOW DO MEDICAL STUDENTS' CHRONOBIOLOGICAL TENDENCIES AND STUDY APPROACHES AFFECT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE?

Abstract

Academic performance scores of medical students have been associated with many variables. Students' sociodemographic characteristics, study times and approaches may affect academic performance separately. Examining academic performance by considering all these variables together can improve medical education. The aim of this study is to determine whether there is a significant difference between the academic performance of medical faculty students in terms of study approaches, chronobiological patterns and socio-demographic features. In this cross-sectional study, data were collected from medical students. As data collection tools, Sociodemographic Data Form, The Revised Two Factor Study Process Questionnaire (R-SPQ2F) and Morning-Evening Questionnaire (MEQ) were used. A total of 163 sixth-year students (n=90) male and (n=73) female were included in the study. There was no significant difference between the gender of the students and their academic performance scores (p=0.880). Academic performance scores of morning type students were significantly higher than those of evening type students (p<0.05). There is a correlation of 0.521 in the same direction between the deep approach and the academic performance score, and this relationship is statistically significant (p<0.001). There is a negative correlation of 0.608 between the superficial approach and the academic performance score, and this relationship is statistically significant. While developing the program and curriculum in medical education, students’ sociodemographic characteristics study approaches and chronobiological patterns should be taken into consideration.