A Comparative, Multi-national Analysis of the Quality of Life and Learning Factors of Medical and Non-medical Undergraduate Students

Abstract

Objective: This study compares data from two medical student cohorts early in their training from New Zealand and Hong Kong and then makes further comparisons with a non-medical group.

Methods: Questionnaires obtained information regarding educational site (universities situated in New Zealand, Hong Kong, and USA), gender, age, motivational beliefs, quality of life, and competitiveness. The study was split into two phases. The first phase focused on measuring and comparing the learning and wellbeing variables of two medical student cohorts. The second phase focussed on making further comparisons with non-medical student groups.

Results: Responses were elicited from 353 students in medically oriented courses and 688 students with a non-medical orientation. For phase 1, the results indicated differences between the two medical student groups on measures of self-efficacy, intrinsic value, enjoyment of competition, and physical quality of life. For phase 2, differences between the medical and non-medical student groups were noted for self-efficacy, intrinsic value, enjoyment of competition, contentiousness, and physical and social quality of life.

Conclusions: The results provide insights into medical and non-medical students' learning and wellbeing experiences from multi-national, multi-discipline perspectives. The results suggest that wellbeing issues of students are likely context-specific and moderated by region, curriculum, gender, and culture.

Keywords: Competitiveness; Medical and biomedical students; Motivation beliefs; Quality of life; Social science students.

Fig. 1

Bar chart showing the mean ratings (with standard error bars) for each measure across the two medical cohorts. * signifies significant differences between medical cohorts (p < .006); SE self-efficacy, IV intrinsic value, TA test anxiety, EoC enjoyment of competition, Cont contentiousness, PhysQOL physical QOL, PsyQOL psychological QOL, SocQOL social QOL, and EnvQOL environmental QOL). Mean rating (1 to 5)

Fig. 2

Bar chart showing the mean ratings (with standard error bars) for each measure across the medical and non-medical cohorts. * signifies significant differences between medical cohorts (p < .006); SE self-efficacy, IV intrinsic value, TA test anxiety, EoC enjoyment of competition, Cont contentiousness, PhysQOL physical QOL, PsyQOL psychological QOL, SocQOL social QOL, and EnvQOL environmental QOL). Mean rating (1 to 5)