Relationship between classroom attendance and examination performance in a second-year medical pathophysiology class

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Academic Performance
• Self-Regulated Learning

Background:

• Undergraduate studies show attendance correlates with academic performance.
• Medical schools observe declining attendance due to readily available online lecture materials.
• This study investigates attendance patterns and their relationship with academic outcomes in the current digital learning environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare medical student attendance in an era of widespread online educational resources.
• To examine the relationship between attendance in various learning formats and final examination performance.
• To identify factors of self-regulated learning that predict attendance behavior.

Main Methods:

• The study focused on second-year medical students during a Gastrointestinal and Renal Systems module.
• Attendance was recorded for mandatory (team-based and case-based learning) and voluntary (lectures, review case-based learning) sessions.
• Academic performance was assessed via a final multiple-choice examination, and self-regulated learning was measured using the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ).

Main Results:

• Mean attendance for non-mandatory sessions was 24%, with 33% of students attending none.
• High self-efficacy and self-regulated effort predicted lower attendance.
• Attendance was positively associated with peer learning orientation and help-seeking behaviors.
• No significant correlation was found between class attendance percentage and final exam scores.

Conclusions:

• Self-regulated learning facets, particularly high self-efficacy, predict decreased attendance in medical students.
• In-class attendance is no longer a dependable metric for gauging academic performance in medical education.
• Educational strategies may need re-evaluation in light of evolving student engagement with digital resources.