Factors Influencing Academic Achievement of Medical Students in the University of Cape Coast

Abstract

This study was to examine factors influencing the academic achievement of undergraduate medical students in the School of Medical Sciences at the University of Cape Coast (UCC). The specific objectives that guided the study were to; determine the socio-demographic characteristics that influence the academic achievement; identify school related factors that influence high academic achievement; evaluate student’s personal factors that influence high academic achievement. A mixed method approach was employed for the study. The sample size was 129 for the study. For quantitative dimension the researcher used stratified and systematic sampling techniques, 123 questionnaires out of 254 were retrieved from undergraduate medical students. Using the qualitative dimension of the study, 6 key informants were purposively selected to participate in the study because of their number. With respect to the first objective, the result showed that socio-demographic characteristics had a positive influence on the academic achievement of the students. The second research objective showed that school related factors had a positive effect on academic achievement of the students. The third objective also showed that personal factors had a positive influence on academic achievement of the students comparatively; the results showed that school related factors had a positive influence on academic achievement of students larger than the two other determinants. The results also showed that age, marital status, family income and level of students were not statistically significant in relation to academic achievement of students. This study recommends that University of Cape Coast should build more facilities, introduce creative methods of teaching, and provide accommodation for those off campus to facilitate medical teaching and learning.