Factores asociados al rendimiento académico en estudiantes de medicina Translated title: Factors associated with academic performance in medical students

Abstract

Objetivos: Determinar y evaluar los factores que estuvieran incidiendo en el desempeño académico de nuestros estudiantes de primer semestre de medicina. Metodología: Se caracterizó la población en búsqueda de factores que se analizaron posteriormente para determinar asociación y predicción, a través de un modelo de regresión logística, del rendimiento académico final. Resultados: Se analizaron 80 estudiantes de edades comprendidas entre 17 y 18, la mayoría mujeres, procedentes de Bogotá, de colegios mixtos, privados y monolingües. El grupo fue homogéneo por factores sociodemográficos, culturales, escolaridad y de motivaciones. Se detectaron rasgos de violencia intrafamiliar, de consumo de alcohol y cigarrillo pero no de drogas psicoactivas. Los resultados obtenidos en la prueba de aptitudes diferenciales y generales (BADyGs) del aprendizaje fueron bajos. El análisis mostró que el no leer como pasatiempo, la presencia de violencia intrafamiliar, el haber fumado marihuana, el provenir de un colegio mixto, el no haber realizado estudios profesionales, de quien se depende económicamente, las notas de biología, bioquímica y del promedio trimestral fueron los factores que se asocian con fracaso académico o pérdida de cupo. La variable que predice fracaso académico cuando se controla por los otros factores incluidos en el modelo es el promedio trimestral y la que determina pérdida de cupo es la nota del laboratorio de bioquímica. Conclusiones: Aunque existen factores previos al ingreso que puedan explicar el desempeño académico, es importante evaluar el rendimiento durante el semestre para intervenir rápidamente y evitar el fracaso.

Translated abstract

Objectives: To determine and evaluate factors that affect academic performance in first semester medicine students. Methodology: The population was characterized in a search for factors that would later be studied in order to determine statistical association and prediction of final academic performance, using a logistic regression model. Results: Eighty students, aged between 17 and 18, were analysed. The majority were women, from Bogotá, from mixed (i.e. not single-sex), private and monolingual schools. The group was homogeneous in terms of demographic, social and cultural factors, and of schooling and motivation. Features of interfamilial violence, alcohol and cigarette consumption (but not psychoactive drug use) were detected. The results obtained in the differential and general learning aptitude tests (BADyGs) were low. Factors associated with poor academic performance were: No interest in reading as a pastime; interfamilial violence; a history of smoking marijuana; mixed educational background; no history of premedical studies; economic dependence on one of the parents. Grades in biology and biochemistry and the quarterly average grades were the best predictors. The best predictor of poor academic performance when controlled by other factors included in the model was the quarterly average, and the best predictor of failing the academic semester was the biochemistry laboratory grade. Conclusions: Although prior factors may explain academic performance before admission to Medical school, it is important to evaluate the performance during the first semester to identify cases in which rapid intervention is required in order to avoid academic failure.