Introduction: “Competency Based Medical Education” in the Indian undergraduate medical curriculum has demanded the medical students to be “Competent learners” in addition to other explicit roles expressed by the regulatory body. Fostering the learning skills plays a major role in helping to attain clinical competence. Hence, this study aimed to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive “Workshop on Learning Skills” organized for the first-year medical undergraduates. Methods: A mixed-method study was carried out by the Medical Education Unit. Based on purposive sampling, 100 first-year undergraduates were included as the study participants. An interactive, activity-oriented workshop on the “Learning skills module” was conducted for the participants in small groups on textbook reading, note-taking, presentation skills, interpretation of illustrations, and enhancing memory. The reaction of the learners and the retro-pre-evaluation of the learning skills were assessed using a self-administered questionnaire. Dennis-Congo’s study skills inventory was administered before and readministered 10 months after the workshop. Quantitative data were analysed with Mean±SD, and a cluster analysis with frequency count was done for qualitative data. Results: Around 57% of the participants rated the workshop as “excellent”. There was a statistically significant difference (p<0.001) in the mean scores of the “Retro-Pre evaluation” on textbook reading, note-taking, presentation skills, interpretation of illustrations, and enhancing memory. However, there was no significant difference in Dennis Congo Study Skills Inventory scores. Students expressed practical difficulties in applying the learning strategies and demanded reinforcement and follow-up sessions to induce a strong behavioural change. Conclusion: The workshop-based approach in instilling learning skills is well received by the students. However, behavioural changes strongly demand reinforcement and follow-up sessions. |
- Khan AM, Gupta P, Singh N, Dhaliwal U, Singh S. Evaluation of a faculty development workshop aimed at development and implementation of a competency-based curriculum for medical undergraduates. J Family Med Prim Care. 2020;9(5):2226-31.
- Verma A, Patyal A, Meena JK, Mathur M, Mathur N. Interactive teaching in medical education: Experiences and barriers. Adesh University Journal of Medical Sciences & Research. 2021;3(2):69-73.
- Medical Council of India. Foundation Course for the Undergraduate Medical Education Program [Internet]. 2019 [Cited 3 August 2019]. pp. 1-46. Available from: https://www.nmc.org.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/FOUNDATION-COURSE-MBBS-17.07.2019.pdf.
- Smith SN, Miller RJ. Learning approaches: Examination type, discipline of study, and gender. Educational psychology. 2005;25(1):43-53.
- Cebeci S, Dane S, Kaya M, Yigitoglu R. Medical students’ approaches to learning and study skills. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;93:732-6.
- Nagaraj C, Pradeep BS. Why do medical students under-perform? A cross-sectional study from Kempe Gowda Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangalore. J NTR Univ Health Sci. 2014;3:92-6.
- Lisiswanti R. Factors Affecting Low Academic Achievement of Undergraduate Medical Students: Student Experience. Journal Pendidikan Kedokteran Indonesia. 2022;11(1):108-88.
- Chonkar SP, Ha TC, Chu SS, Ng AX, Lim ML, Ee TX, et al. The predominant learning approaches of medical students. BMC medical education. 2018;18(1):1-8.
- Siddiqui IA, Bin Abdulrahman KA, Alsultan MA. A learning skills course for the 1st year medical students: an experience at a Saudi medical school. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2015;6:205-10.
- Joseph N, Kumar G, Babu Y, Nelliyanil M, Bhaskaran U. Knowledge of first aid skills among students of a medical college in mangalore city of South India. Ann Med Health Sci Res. 2014;4(2):162-6.
- Liew SC, Sidhu J, Barua A. The relationship between learning preferences (styles and approaches) and learning outcomes among pre-clinical undergraduate medical students. BMC medical education. 2015;15:44.
- Kumar SD, Kulkarni P, Kavitha HS, Manjunath R. Study skills and strategies of the medical students among medical colleges in Mysore district, Karnataka, India. Int J Community Med Public Health. 2016;3:2543-9.
- Shukla S, Acharya S, Acharya N, Shrivastava T, Kale A. Quality theory paper writing for medical examinations. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014;8(4):XC01-4.
- Bates R. A critical analysis of evaluation practice: the Kirkpatrick model and the principle of beneficence. Eval Program Plan. 2004;27(3):341–7.
- Bin Abdulrahman KA, Khalaf AM, Bin Abbas FB, Alanazi OT. Study Habits of Highly Effective Medical Students. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2021;12:627-33.
- Liles J, Vuk J, Tariq S. Study Habits of Medical Students: An Analysis of which Study Habits Most Contribute to Success in the Preclinical Years. MedEdPublish. 2018;7:61.
- Rajendran R, Asokan S, Thangaraj SS. An analysis on the study habits among undergraduate medical students. Int J Med Res Rev. 2019;7(5):404-10.
- Nyland RL, Sawarynski KE. Setting Students Up for Success: A Short Interactive Workshop Designed to Increase Effective Study Habits. MedEdPortal. 2017;13:10610.
- Alzahrani SS, Soo Park Y, Tekian A. Study habits and academic achievement among medical students: A comparison between male and female subjects. Med Teach. 2018;40(sup1):S1-S9.
- Ayesha Younas AY, Faryal Azhar FA, Uzma Urooj UU. Role of reinforcement of learning across the continuum of medical education: a scoping review. J Dow Univ Health Sci. 2019;13(3):154-64.
- Sisa I, Garcés MS, Crespo-Andrade C, Tobar C. Improving Learning and Study Strategies in Undergraduate Medical Students: A Pre-Post Study. Healthcare. 2023;11(3):375.
|