ATTITUDE, BEHAVIOURAL IMPROVEMENT AND PREFERENCES

IN MEDICAL STUDENTS AS THEY MOVE UP TO THE NEXT HIGHER CLASS

Abstract

Objective: Present study endeavoured to assess medical student’s ethical
behaviour, preferences and improvements one year later. Design of study: Cross-sectional,
questionnaire-based. Setting: Liaquat University of Medical & Health Sciences Jamshoro.
Sindh. Pakistan. Period: October 2013 - Jan 2014. Materials and methods: First year (FY) and
second year (SY) MBBS students (n = 122 each year) of both genders, were randomly selected
and a questionnaire administered. Results: Fifty six percent male and 40% female students
of FY marked proxy attendance; 72% males and 65% female would mark proxy attendance if
given a chance. Percentages increased in SY. Significant co-relation existed between gender
and proxy attendance (p = 0.01); self-financed or hostlers showed no association with
marking proxy attendance. Sense of responsibility in females and courteous behavior in both
genders improved in SY. Teacher’s behaviour affected student’s conduct; and improvement
in understanding English was noted in both genders in both years, however, the small % of
students finding English as a barrier were prone to mark proxy attendance (p = 0.05). Males
preferred physiology whereas female preferred anatomy in both years. In FY, subject of choice
was anatomy, substituted for Physiology in SY. Majority students preferred chalk and black board
vs. multimedia based teaching. Conclusions: Cheating behaviour and sense of responsibility,
but civilised behaviour, did not improve after one year education.