Study of Live Lecture Attendance, Student Perceptions and Expectations

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Undergraduate Medical Training

Background:

• Declining lecture attendance is a persistent issue in undergraduate medical education.
• Student engagement is crucial for effective knowledge transfer and skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate reasons behind medical students' lecture non-attendance.
• To identify students' preferred study materials.
• To determine factors that could motivate increased lecture attendance.

Main Methods:

• A survey was distributed to 317 first- and second-year medical students.
• A response rate of 45% (145 students) was achieved.
• Data analysis focused on attendance rates, reasons for absence, study material usage, and suggestions for improvement.

Main Results:

• Only 63% of first-year and 53% of second-year students attended non-mandatory lectures.
• Key reasons for absence included information intake efficiency and instructor/class style.
• Instructor-provided materials and recorded lectures were most used; Board exam prep materials were also popular among second-year students.

Conclusions:

• Students perceive a gap between lectures and Board exam preparation.
• Integrating Board exam content and enhancing teaching methods may increase lecture relevance and attendance.
• Faculty development focused on active learning and Board exam relevance could improve student engagement.