Prevalence, Determinants, and Student-Perceived Remedies for Absenteeism among Medical Undergraduates in India: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Competency-Based Medical Education (CBME) by the National Medical Commission (NMC) has a key consideration of active involvement among medical undergraduates. But, nowadays absenteeism has increased among them, adversely affecting the scholarly outcome, clinical proficiency and expertise. Aim: To explore the multi-factorial causes, significant correlates and student-suggested remedies responsible for absenteeism. Setting and Design: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate students of medical colleges across India. Methods and Material: Pre-tested, semi-structured questionnaire via Google Form was used to assess factors contributing to absenteeism and remedial suggestions among 5799 students. Descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was done by using IBM-SPSS v24.0. Results: Most commonly reported causes of absenteeism were the availability of other learning options, 3413 (41.14%), followed by long college hours, 1842 (31.76%) and poor coverage of syllabus in classes, 1630 (28.1%). It was observed that 38.47% of the students reported less attendance than the recommended attendance by NMC, either in theory or practical classes. A statistically significant association was found between absenteeism and gender, marital status, area of residence, type of family, socioeconomic status, and joining MBBS by choice, having doctors in the family, bedtime, and duration of sleep. Reduction in college timing 3810 (65.70%), inclusion of more practical aspects 2588 (44.62%), and sharing attendance with parents 2584 (44.55%) were some the most commonly suggested measures for reduction in absenteeism among the students. Conclusion: Absenteeism is a striking, multi-factorial issue where urgent institutional reform is required, including optimized schedules and enhanced practical engagement, for ensuring success of the CBME framework.