Potential Dropout Thoughts and Their Influencing Factors Among Medical Students

Medical student dropout is characterized by the early exit from the medical college prior to graduation. The dropout ratio fluctuates globally and is influenced by factors, such as academic demands, individual characteristics, and insufficient work-life balance, which contribute to thoughts of dropping out. This study sought to evaluate the frequency of dropout ideation and influencing factors among medical students at Lahore Medical and Dental College (LMDC).

A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed over six months at LMDC, encompassing 459 (n=459) first- to final-year Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) students. A non-probability convenience sampling method was employed. Data were gathered with a standardized questionnaire that encompassed demographic information and enquiries relating to dropout, derived from a previously validated instrument. The analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, Version 26.0 (Released 2019; IBM Corp., Armonk, New York, United States), with descriptive statistics displayed in tables and graphs. A chi-squared test of significance was utilized to examine the relationships between background characteristics and factors linked with dropout thoughts. The threshold for significance is p≤0.05.

Among the 459 students, 174 (37.9%) had thoughts of dropouts, while 50 (28.7%) were seriously contemplating withdrawal. The first year of medical school was considered the most arduous, with 98 (56.3%) students contemplating withdrawal. Eighty-three (47.7%) students indicated that they contemplated dropping out solely on days marked by stress. Notably, social isolation due to medical studies, time management, the impact of a negative event, understanding of medical studies, satisfaction with teaching methodology, experience of homesickness, satisfaction with scores and academic performance, and exam resits all have statistically significant associations with potential dropout thoughts. Furthermore, gender, marital status, transport, and accommodation problems show no significant link with plans to drop out.

The frequency of dropout thoughts among LMDC medical students was markedly elevated. Nonetheless, the contemplation of withdrawal was infrequent. To alleviate the danger of real withdrawal, formal academic advising programs should be established to detect and assist individuals exhibiting early indicators of difficulty.