Screen Time Patterns and Their Impact on Academic Performance: A Prospective Study Among Phase 1 MBBS Students

Background  The increasing use of smartphones and digital devices among medical students has raised concerns about their impact on academic performance. While academic screen time may support learning, excessive recreational usage can have a negative effect. As Phase 1 MBBS students bear a heavy academic load, they are an ideal group in which to study this balance. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted among 102 Phase 1 MBBS students, in which screen time was manually collected from the students' device records. The duration of the study was four consecutive weeks in January 2025. The screen times were then categorised into academic and non-academic use. The academic performance of the students was measured based on their first-trimester marks in February 2025. To complement this, participants also reported their preferred mode of study, whether physical books, digital books (PDFs), online video content, or a mixed approach. Furthermore, the applications or platforms used for study and entertainment were noted and verified. Statistical analysis was performed using Spearman's correlation and Kruskal-Wallis tests. Ethical approval and informed consent were obtained prior to the study. Results Among 102 students, the mean daily screen time was 5.9 ± 2.0 hours, which could be categorised into 2.9 ± 1.2 hours for academic use and 3.0 ± 1.6 hours for non-academic use. Academic screen time correlated positively with examination marks (ρ = 0.541, p < 0.001), while non-academic use correlated negatively (ρ = -0.575, p < 0.001). However, total screen time showed no significant correlation (ρ = -0.091, p = 0.364). Students preferring digital books/PDFs scored the highest mean (58.3%), while those relying mainly on physical books scored the lowest (45.1%, p = 0.037). As far as the relationship between the different applications used for study or entertainment and marks is concerned, no significant differences in marks were observed (p = 0.311 and p = 0.511, respectively). Conclusion  The impact of screen time on learning depends more on its purpose than on its duration. While academic use was linked with better exam performance, recreational use was associated with poorer outcomes. Hence, promoting focused academic use of digital devices, while limiting distractions, may improve learning outcomes in medical students.