Impact of class attendance on academic performance: insights from pre-clinical medical students in a modular system
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Abstract
Objective: To determine the association between class attendance and academic performance among second-year MBBS pre-clinical students enrolled in a modular system.
Methods: This retrospective record-based study was conducted in the Department of Medical Education at Gomal Medical College, Dera Ismail Khan, Pakistan. The academic performance of second-year MBBS students (session 2022–2023) was compared with their class attendance across three modular blocks: Block D (Neurosciences), Block E (Gastrointestinal and Renal), and Block F (Endocrine and Reproduction). Students were categorized into two groups: Category A (attendance ≥75%) and Category B (attendance <75%). The minimum passing score was set at 50%. Students on leave, transferred, or admitted late were excluded. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Chi-square test, with a significance level of p ≤ 0.05.
Results: Out of 121 enrolled students, 119 met the inclusion criteria. In Block D, Category A showed a pass rate of 51.31% versus 4.65% in Category B (p < 0.001). In Block E, pass rates were 69.07% (Category A) and 54.54% (Category B), with no significant association (p = 0.1928). In Block F, Category A had a pass rate of 66.67% compared to 34.21% in Category B (p = 0.00087). Combined analysis of all three blocks (n = 357) showed a significantly higher pass rate in students with ≥75% attendance (63%) versus those with <75% (26.21%) (χ² = 39.740, p < 0.00001).
Conclusion: Higher class attendance (≥75%) is significantly associated with better academic performance in the modular assessment system of pre-clinical medical students.
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