Intervention in the learning process of second year medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Cognitive Psychology

Background:

• Educational programs focusing on study skills can enhance university students' learning strategies and academic performance.
• Supportive programs are crucial for incoming students.
• This study evaluated an optional learning and study skills course for second-year medical students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of an optional learning and study skills course.
• To assess the impact on second-year medical students' learning and study skills.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental design involving 32 medical students.
• Utilized the Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI) pre- and post-intervention.
• Intervention group engaged in team-based learning of reading and study skills.
• Evaluated outcomes via portfolios, self-assessments, and LASSI scores.

Main Results:

• The intervention group showed significant improvements (p < 0.05) in attitude, time management, information processing, main idea selection, study aids, and self-testing.
• These scales demonstrated higher mean difference scores post-intervention compared to the control group.

Conclusions:

• The optional course effectively enhanced learning strategies within classroom activities.
• No significant improvement was observed in the motivational scale.
• Recommends educational programs that incorporate meta-cognitive learning strategies for greater impact on academic success.