Students’ Preferences for Modes of Teaching in Basic Medical Sciences

Background: To study the students preferences for mode of teaching in basic medical sciences. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among the students of Rawalpindi Medical College, Rawalpindi for a period of two weeks during April-May, 2014. About 105 students were recruited for the study by systematic random sampling. Data was collected by a structured questionnaire to obtain information regarding socio-demographic profile of the students, boarding status, pre-medical educational history, most preferred teaching method and proposed reason for the preferred teaching method. The responses of the students for preference of teaching methods were rated by using 5 point Likert scale (1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree 3=undecided, 4= agree, 5=strongly agree). The data was analyzed by using SPSS version 21 and Microsoft Excel 2003. Results: Of the total 105 respondents, 102 were females and 33 were males. About 48% students were boarders while 52% were non-boarders. 33% of students belonged to 3rd year, 32% to 4th year and 34% to final year MBBS class. 8% students received their premedical education in Cambridge schooling system while 92% were brought up in the general schooling system. Majority (80%) students in present study agreed that interactive session is the better learning method. 39% were of opinion that the interactive session is comparatively the better rated teaching method for studying basic sciences of MBBS course. Reasons favoring their choice include interactive participation by 58% respondents, 44% were sure that it initiates confidence building and 54% considered it as attention seeking approach. Conclusion: Interactive session is a preferred teaching choice of medical students in basic sciences. Reasons favouring their choice include interactive participation, confidence building and its attention seeking approach.