Investigation of academic motivation in medical students and its association with clinical education quality, academic achievement, and academic burnout

Improving the quality of clinical education requires continuous review of the current situation, identifying strengths, and correcting weaknesses. This study aimed to investigate the association between academic motivation with quality of clinical education, academic achievement, and burnout.

This cross‑sectional study was done in 2020 on all of the 140 internship students of Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, using the consensus method. The data collection tools included standard questionnaires such as Herman’s Academic Motivation, Clinical Education Quality, Maslach Modified Academic Burnout, Pham and Taylor Academic Achievement, Satisfaction of Educational Welfare Facilities. Data were analyzed using SPSS (ver. 22) software and descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation, frequency and percentage of frequency), Spearman rank, correlation coefficient and Mann–Whitney and Kruskal–Wallis statistical tests. P < 0.05 is considered statistically significant.

The mean ± SD of age was 25.68±2.03. 86 (61.4%) of the internship were female and 87 (62.1%) were single. Mean± SD of academic motivation and quality of clinical education were 81.51± 8.73 and 28/99± 11/52 respectively. Also, the Mean± SD of academic achievement and academic burnouts were 147/61± 14/94 and 42/37± 10/42 respectively.

Academic motivation had a meaningful and positive relationship with academic achievement and satisfaction of welfare facilities but a negative correlation with academic burnout. Also, academic achievement and academic burnout had a negative correlation but a positive correlation was seen between the quality of clinical education and satisfaction of welfare facilities.

Considered the results, recommended improving welfare education facilities by using up‑to‑date training aids, upgrading educational infrastructure, and employ young staff in the education office. For improving the quality of clinical education, appropriate educational methods, conducting developmental assessments continuously, using simulated environments, and improving students’ motivation.