STUDY HABITS

COMPARISON OF SCORES AND STUDY HABITS OF FIRST YEAR MBBS STUDENTS COMING FROM LOCAL SYSTEM VS GENERAL CERTIFICATE OF SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEM

Abstract

Objectives: To determine the efficacy of Local Education System and GCSE
system by comparing the scores obtained by first yearMBBS students of both streams of
education in the first professional exam. The study also determined the effect of education
systems on the study habits of these students. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting:
Rawal Institute of Health Sciences, Islamabad. Period: June 2015 to June 2016. Methods:
Students of first year MBBS were interviewed by the researcher by using a close ended
questionnaire to compare the study habits between the two groups. First professional exam
scores and study habits were noted and compared in both the groups of students coming
from two different educational systems by applying Independent Sample T test and Chi Square
(χ2) test of independence, respectively, using SPSS 21 version. Results: After analysing the
data gathered, it was found that students from both the systems performed equally in the first
professional exams irrespective of their educational background, hence there is no relationship
between the type of secondary education and performance in professional examinations.
Similarly, there was no association between the study habits and the system of education. Our
study concludes that study habits are personal traits and vary from one student to another
student. Conclusion: The performance of students cannot be calculated simply through the
system of education because of the complex and intermingled associations between cognitive,
affective and contextual factors in higher education. This study concludes that predictability of
academic success based on education system attended is questionable.