Preclinical medical students' usage of electronic devices in lectures: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Electronic devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones are commonly used in clinical clerkships, problem-based learning, and practicals. However, there is limited literature on electronic device usage in medical lectures. This study aimed to (1) assess preclinical medical students' pattern and reason for electronic device usage in lectures and (2) assess the effect of lecture content and student factors on device usage. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study from the year 1 to 3 medical students of the Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong. The data was collected through self-administrated questionnaires. The questionnaire was distributed twice to the same cohort of students, once after their basic medical science lectures, another after humanities lectures. Categorical variables were compared by Chi-squared test or Fisher's exact test; continuous variables were compared by Mann-Whitney U-test or Kruskal-Wallis H-test. Results: Five hundred and seventy-nine valid questionnaires were collected. Students spent more time on electronic devices for learning in science lectures when compared with humanities lectures (P < 0.001). In contrast, students spent more time for nonlearning purposes in humanities lectures (P < 0.001). In science lectures, the mode of admission to medical school (P < 0.05) and year of study (P < 0.001) were factors affecting the device usage. Conclusions: Lecture content, mode of admission, and year of study have a significant impact on the electronic device usage in preclinical medical lectures. Appropriate interventions are necessary to help the students make better use of their devices and decrease the time spent on nonlearning purposes, particularly in humanities lectures.