Why do students struggle in their first year of medical school? A qualitative study of student voices.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Struggling at medical school incorporates academic failure, course disruption and early course exit. Struggling is usually multi-factorial involving academic, personal, financial and health factors. Struggling students may fail to engage with available support. First year students are particularly susceptible as they transition to university and a professional career.

Methods

The study aim was to explore medical students' own voices on struggling and assess how they match up to existing literature. During one academic year, all first year medical students at the University of Birmingham (UK) who opted to leave or were required to withdraw (n = 52) were asked to participate in an individual exit interview. Fifteen students responded and fourteen (27%) agreed to be

SUBMITTER: Picton A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8848907 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature