Patterns of learning approaches amongst first year medical students in a private medical college of Pakistan

Objective: To assess learning approaches of medical students at the time of their admission in Bahria University Medical & Dental College. Methodology:lt was a cross sectional observational study carried out at Bahria University Medical & Dental College using a questionnaire on "Learning approaches," tailored by modified version of "ASSIST" inventory. The deep, superficial and strategic approaches were identified by summation of their sub scale scores obtained by addition of respective responses to item (question). Percentages of each approach were categorized in two categories as high and low scores on the basis of maximum and minimum scores. Results: Students attained the highest mean score on deep approach scale (81.8±10) followed by scores on strategic and superficial approach (78±13 and 68.4±12), respectively. Overall, in the deep approach category, 75.5% responses turned out to be for the high score group. For strategic approach, 84.7% responses were towards high score, while 57.1% responses were for high score group of surface approach. Conclusion: Majority of first year medical students were found to utilize deep and strategic learning strategy and preferred to learn context by reasoning and understanding of subject.