Student's Study Skills and Habits and Some Related Factors in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences

Academic performance is affected by many factors, one of these factors is study habits and study skills. The present study was conducted to determine student`s study habits and skills in Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences in the academic year 2013-2014. This descriptive - cross sectional study was done on students of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences students who were enrolled in the academic year 2013-14. The study population of 324 subjects was determined, but total of 245 questionnaires were analyzed. Data was collected using a standardized questionnaire Palsane & Sharma Study Habits Inventory (PSSHI) and analyzed using SPSS statistical software. Descriptive statistics was used and to present absolute and relative frequency of variables. For quantitative variables, mean and standard deviation was used. Independent t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, as well as logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the effect of different factors on study habits. The mean of total score of student's study habits was 45.8 ± 11.1. Average score for girls was 46.1 ± 11.4 and for boys was 45.4 ± 10.8 that there was no statistically significant difference between the two (p=0.62, t=0.49). Comparing the different fields of study habits in both "gender", results indicated that in note-taking field (t = 2.46 and p = 0.015) and health (p = 0.028, t = 2.20) girls had superiority than boys. Results showed that compared to students who used just books or class pamphlets students who used books and class pamphlets at the same time in terms of study habits were in better situation and this difference was statistically significant (p = 0/001). The results of this study showed that the study habit of students of Kurdistan University of Medical Sciences is at the average level which is similar to other Medical Science Universities of country. Presenting a course entitled "Study Skills and Habits" in curriculum of students is recommended.