Most Medical Students Multitask During Lectures, Study Found

The majority of medical students multitask during lectures, according to a study published in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.

The study, led by Ankit V. Shah from the Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine, was designed to determine the extent to which medical students multitask during lecture, and more specifically, the types of multitasking, how often, and the relationship between multitasking and their academic performance.

Investigators administered a survey to 125 second-year students at Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine and following a 50-minute lecture, students were given an unannounced 10-question multiple-choice quiz to asses the students “knowledge acquisition” from the 50-minute lecture.

The results of the survey revealed that multitasking during lecture is prominent among medical students. In fact, 98% of students check e-mail, 81% use social media, and 74% study for another class. Furthermore, the investigators found that students spent the most time studying for another class (23 minutes) followed by using social media (13 minutes) and checking e-mail (7 minutes).

“Today’s medical students grew up during an era with rapid advancements in computer technology and electronic media that changed our daily lives, from how we interact with others to the ways we do our work,” says coauthor Ronald P. Januchowski, DO, assistant professor of family medicine and associate dean for curriculum, assessment and medical education at VCOM-Carolinas.

“With the technological ability to constantly be ‘on’ coupled with the rigorous demands of medical school, students might feel compelled to perform more than one task at a time.”

A closer look at the factors which influenced students’ multitasking during lecture revealed that the top reasons were exam schedule, lecturer, and the number of lectures in the day.



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