LAUSR

Medical students often experience difficulties during the first year of medical school which often hinders their performance. These difficulties include time management, organizing and integrating material, study skills, and mental health issues. Students’ motivation also plays a role in the type of study strategies utilized and students’ effort in persevering with the rigor of medical school. This research aimed at identifying the study strategies utilized by low- and high-performing students in first year medical school to assist in developing programs to assist students in their success. Participants in this study included 32 low-performing students in a remedial course and 27 students inducted on the dean’s list. Students answered a questionnaire detailing their study habits and completed the Academic Motivation Scale (AMS). Results of the study indicated that high-performing students engaged in more deep learning strategies such as formative assessments, note-taking, consistent review of material, and group study and had good time management skills. The high-performing students were more intrinsically motivated than the low-performing students which is correlated to their performance. This information is useful for guiding programs which focus on helping students succeed in medical school.