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The Impact of Physical Activities on the Academic Performance of Medical Students

September 2016
Online Journal of Health and Allied Sciences 15(02):4

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Authors:

Manipal Academy of Higher Education

Background: Physical activity is considered to be correlated with academic performance of students by many researchers. In recent years this concept is gaining high importance especially in professional education system. Hence the objective of our research was to evaluate the correlation between the effects of physical activities on the academic performance of medical students studying in our college. Methodology: This was a cross sectional study in which 210 medical undergraduate students participated. Ethical clearance was obtained prior to the study. A questionnaire was distributed to the students and the responses given by them were then analyzed. Results: Results showed that most of the students agreed that there exists a correlation between physical activity and academic performance as their scores were higher compared to students who do not involve in physical activities. Conclusion: Findings from our study suggest that physical activities increase student’s focus and might help them to succeed academically.

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Original Article:

The Impact of Physical Activities on the Academic Performance of Medical Students

Authors

Satheesha Nayak B, Professor,

Sonia Anne Miranda, Medical Student,

Ozri Jon bin Fitzrol, Medical Student,

Lawrence Anthony, Medical Student,

Gowrish Rao S, Selection Grade Lecturer,

Ashwini Aithal P, Lecturer,

Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus), Manipal University, Madhav Nagar, Manipal, Karnataka State, INDIA.

Address for Correspondence

Ashwini Aithal P,

Department of Anatomy

Melaka Manipal Medical College (Manipal Campus)

Manipal University

Madhav Nagar, Manipal, Udupi District

Karnataka State, INDIA 576104.

E-mail: ashwini.anat@gmail.com

Citation

Nayak SB, Miranda SA, Fitzrol OJ, Anthony L, Rao GS, Aithal AP. The Impact of Physical Activities on the Academic Performance

of Medical Students. Online J Health Allied Scs. 2016;15(2):4. Available at URL: http://www.ojhas.org/issue58/2016-2-4.html

Open Access Archives

http://cogprints.org/view/subjects/OJHAS.html

http://openmed.nic.in/view/subjects/ojhas.html

Submitted: May 25, 2016; Accepted: Jul 15, 2016; Published: Jul 30, 2016

Abstract: Background: Physical activity is considered to be

correlated with academic performance of students by many

researchers. In recent years this concept is gaining high

importance especially in professional education system.

Hence the objective of our research was to evaluate the

correlation between the effects of physical activities on the

academic performance of medical students studying in our

college. Methodology: This was a cross sectional study in

which 210 medical undergraduate students participated.

Ethical clearance was obtained prior to the study. A

questionnaire was distributed to the students and the

responses given by them were then analyzed. Results:

Results showed that most of the students agreed that there

exists a correlation between physical activity and academic

performance as their scores were higher compared to students

who do not involve in physical activities. Conclusion:

Findings from our study suggest that physical activities

increase student’s focus and might help them to succeed

academically.

Key Words: Physical activity, exercise, academic

performance, medical students, learning

Introduction:

Physical activities help students to develop knowledge,

attitudes, motor and behavior skills which are required to

maintain physically active lifestyle.(1) Medical and health

sciences students represent an important segment of our

youth population. Since medical education is considered

stressful due to voluminous academics and demands total

dedication towards studies, it leaves minimal opportunity for

the students to relax and recreate.(2) Because of this students

face social, emotional and physical problems, which in turn,

may affect their learning ability and academic

performance.(3) Health surveys involving population-

representative samples of children and adolescents observed

statistically significant positive correlations between physical

activity participation and academic performance.(4-6)

However, none of these studies assessed academic

performance with standardized educational tests. During our

literature review we found minimal studies which correlate

the involvement of medical students in physical activities and

their academic performance. Slade et al in their study have

found that changes in recreation use before an exam were

positively associated with changes in exam performance.(7)

To our knowledge, no studies have found that physical

activity is unfavorable or adversely affects academic

achievement, even if physical activity is not always found to

improve achievement. Hence the objective of our research

was to evaluate the correlation between the effects of

physical activities on the academic performance of Melaka

Manipal Medical College students. This research was

conducted to examine the effect of physical activities before

and after class on the level of concentration of the students in

class and to evaluate correlation between the frequency of

physical activities performed and its influence on the

academic performance and cognitive activity of students.

This work is licensed under a

Creative Commons Attribution-

No Derivative Works 2.5 India License

Online Journal of Health and Allied Sciences

Peer Reviewed, Open Access, Free Online Journal

Published Quarterly : Mangalore, South India : ISSN 0972-5997

Volume 15, Issue 2; Apr-Jun 2016

Methodology

Sample size: This is a cross sectional study based on random

sampling method. A total of 210 medical undergraduate

students, comprising of 114 male students and 96 female

students aged 17-19 years participated in this study and the

response rate was 100%. The students belonged to three

different Malaysian ethnic races i.e. Malays, Chinese and

Indians (Malaysian Indians) and were chosen randomly.

Ethical clearance was obtained from the institutional research

committee, prior to the study and the students gave their

informed consent before taking part in this study.

Participation was purely on voluntary basis.

Data collection: Questionnaires were used in the study. The

questionnaire was framed with reference to similar previous

studies.(8) The questions were modified according to our

objectives and it included questions which assess the

student’s perceptions regarding the effect of physical

activities on their health and academic performance. This

questionnaire constituted of 11 closed ended questions which

was validated by academic faculty. It also included student’s

demographic data and graded evaluation of their academic

performance during the academic year. This questionnaire

was then distributed to the students and the responses given

by them were then analyzed. The marks obtained by the

students were grouped into 3 categories: Above average

marks (< 70%), average marks (60-70%) and pass marks (50-

60%).

Data analysis: All the data which was obtained after

evaluating the questionnaires was segregated according to

gender. Analysis of the data was done using percentage. The

results obtained were represented as tables, bar charts and pie

charts using Microsoft Excel 2007.

Results

Each graph represented here either corresponds to a series or

to a particular question in the questionnaire or represents

important data obtained from the study. Graph 1 shows the

percentage of students who participated in physical activities.

We have found that a majority of the students, 92 (81 %)

male and 71 (74 %) female students took part in various

physical activities like outdoor and indoor sports, walking,

jogging and workouts in fitness centers etc. It was observed

that percentage of male students participating in physical

activities was higher when compared to females. When we

checked the frequency with which the students involved

themselves in various physical activities, we found that most

of the male students carried out physical activities more than

three times a week (34 students). Females however, mostly

participated about twice a week in various physical activities

(Graph 2). According to the results obtained from our study

we found that most students, both male (58%) and female

(35%), preferred to participate in physical activities after

class. They felt that such activities helped them to relax and

they felt revitalized. Students also opined that involvement in

physical activities increased their level of concentration in

class and they were more confident to face academic

challenges (Graph 3). Our next important observation was

that most of the students agreed that there exists a correlation

between physical activity and academic performance which

was evident when we compared the marks between the

students who were involved in physical activities with those

who weren’t. Students who participated in physical activities

scored average (55%) and above average marks (28%) while

students who dint perform any physical activities mostly

scored average (68%) and pass marks (21%) (Graph 4).

Graph 1: Graph showing the percentage of students who

participated in physical activities

Graph 2: Frequency of performing physical activities

among students

Graph 3: Graph showing the effect of physical activities

on concentration and level of confidence among medical

students who were involved in physical activities

Graph 4: Graph showing the academic performance of

students who were involved and who were not involved in

physical activities

Discussion

Regular physical activity not only reduces the stress level but

also has beneficial effect on body as well as mind. Students

of professional courses especially medical students are under

a lot of stress due to voluminous academics and hence they

dedicate most of their time to academics and very less

importance is given to physical activities. Several studies

have been conducted in the past to assess the relationship

between physical activity and academic performance.

However, these studies focused mainly on the school students

and adolescents.(9-11) The point to be noted here is that in

schools there is a session everyday where children involve

themselves actively in various physical activities. This is the

major differences between the above studies and ours as in

our study the participants are medical college students who

often do not get time to involve themselves in such activities

nor is there regular sports sessions or classes in their

curriculum. There was a similar study conducted in the past

which postulates that physical activities have a positive effect

on academic performance of medical students.(12) Even they

opine that studies involving professional students are very

limited. Based on the results obtained from our study, we

found that a majority of the students took part in physical

activities. This group of students believed that physical

activities have a positive impact on their academic

performance by means of an increase in concentration and

level of cognitive activity. However a minority of students

opposed this fact. Few of these students did not take part in

any activity due to time constraint while few were not

interested as they believed that physical activities does not

have a positive effect on their academic performance. It is

important to note that brain function may indirectly benefit

from physical activity due to increased energy generation.(3)

The examination of the connection between physical activity

and cognitive function is a popular topic of research

nowadays. It is believed that benefits of exercise are not only

physical but integrate connections within the brain to

stimulate new pathways, which inevitably speed up the

learning process.(13) A research was conducted to assess the

concentration level of students after their completion of class

room lesson and again after their participation in sports for

15 minutes. The scores of the concentration tests were then

compared and the results indicated that after their

participation in sports the students obtained better

concentration scores.(14) This finding is similar to ours

wherein students felt that physical activity increased their

level of concentration.

Studies have indicated that cognitive abilities increase

progressively in childhood and improvements peaks during

late adolescence and early adulthood.(15) Similarly, gradual

decline is seen in cognitive abilities after middle

adulthood.(16) Since the medical students are in their peak

phase of cognitive improvement, it is necessary to stress the

importance of physical activities among them so that it can

aid them in academics and in general wellbeing. This fact is

supported by the above studies which suggest that physical

activity and aerobic fitness are associated with better

achievement in academics and present with a lower risk for

cognitive decline and dementia. Future research in this regard

is needed to demonstrate how much and what type of

exercise best improves neurocognitive function. Regular

physical activity for students in the form of sports and

extracurricular activities not only benefit them physically, but

also mentally. It imparts desirable behavior and transforms

them into a successful and responsible adult in the

society.(17) Researchers opine that these findings will

encourage modifications in educational policies that will

increase physical activity during the routine academics (18)

because it has been found that physicians’ personal exercise

practices influence their clinical attitudes and practices.(19)

This new field of research is still in its infancy and many

questions remain unanswered on the positive role physical

activities play for students in a learning environment. Any

demonstrated relationship to academic performance is an

important finding as its effect on students’ academic

achievement is critical and therefore it has been given a lot of

importance in today’s competitive world.

There are few limitations in our study like our study

population was aged between 17-19 years and all were in

their first year of medical education. Their perspective might

change as they proceed to the para clinical and clinical

studies which we could not compare. These findings cannot

be generalized as there are different teaching modules and

exam schedules across different institutions and courses and

hence the results might vary.

Based on the results of the present study, it can be suggested

that professional colleges and universities should focus on

the facilitation of physical activities for students, through

either outdoor or indoor opportunities. This can be

implemented through active recreation and intramural sports

program.(20)

Conclusion

Physical activities and academic performance are related

proportionally and it bears a positive influence on the

education of the youth. We perceive that these activities

increase student’s focus on studies and help them to succeed

academically. The findings of our study suggest that physical

activities may bring about positive changes in student’s

health and behavior.

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affect. Neuroscience 2012;215:59-68.

4. Pate RR, Heath GW, Dowda M, Trost SG. Associations

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May 2023

Bu araştırmada, BESYO öğrencilerinin zihinsel dayanıklılık ve fiziksel aktivite düzeyleri ile uyku kalitesi arasındaki ilişki incelenmiştir. Nicel araştırma yöntemlerinden biri olan ilişkisel tarama modeli kullanılmıştır. Veri toplama aracı olarak, Sporda Zihinsel Dayanıklılık Envanteri, Uluslararası Fiziksel Aktivite Anketi, Pittsburgh uyku kalitesi indeksi (PUKİ) ve araştırmacı tarafından hazırlanan demografik form kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen verilere göre, Sporda Zihinsel Dayanıklılık Envanteri ile Toplam Fiziksel Aktivite arasında pozitif yönlü çok zayıf bir ilişki bulunmaktadır. Sporda Zihinsel Dayanıklılık Envanteri ile PUKİ arasında negatif yönlü çok zayıf bir ilişki bulunmaktadır. 24-25 arası yaşlarda olanların PUKİ puanın, 22-23 yaş arası olanlara göre daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir. Kadınların Oturma alt boyut puanlarının erkeklere göre daha yüksek olduğu belirlenmiştir. Profesyonel veya amatör olarak aktif spor yapanların PUKİ, Sporda Zihinsel Dayanıklılık Envanteri, Şiddetli Fiziksel Aktivite, Orta Düzeyde Fiziksel Aktivite alt boyut puanları yapmayanlara göre daha yüksektir. Yüzme-dalış sporunu yapanların Güven alt boyut puanı, futbol ve diğer takım sporlarını yapanlara göre daha yüksektir. Futbol sporunu yapanların Devamlılık alt boyut puanı, diğer sporları yapanlara göre daha düşüktür. Diğer sporları yapanların Sporda Zihinsel Dayanıklılık Envanteri puanı, futbol ve diğer takım sporlarını yapanlara göre daha yüksektir. Spor yapmayanların Şiddetli Fiziksel Aktivite alt boyut puanı, yüzme-dalış ve diğer sporları yapanlara göre daha düşüktür. Spor yapmayanların Orta Düzeyde Şiddetli Fiziksel Aktivite alt boyut puanı, tenis-badminton ve diğer sporları yapanlara göre daha düşüktür. Spor yapmayanların Oturma Süresi alt boyut puanı, futbol, atletizm, diğer ve diğer takım sporları yapanlara göre daha yüksektir. Spor yapmayanların PUKİ puanı futbol, yüzme-dalış, tenis-badminton, kış sporları, diğer ve diğer takım sporları yapanlara göre daha yüksektir. 7 yaş ve altında spora başlayanların Güven alt boyut puanı, 17 yaş ve üstünde başlayanlara göre daha yüksektir. 8-11 yaş arasında spora başlayanların Orta Düzeyde Şiddetli Fiziksel Aktivite alt boyut puanı, 17 yaş ve üstünde başlayanlara göre daha yüksektir. Haftada 1-2 gün antrenman yapanların Güven alt boyut puanı, haftada 3-4 gün antrenman yapanlara göre daha düşüktür. Ayrıca, haftada 5-6 gün antrenman yapanların Güven alt boyut puanı, diğer tüm gruplara göre daha yüksektir. Haftada 1-2 gün antrenman yapanların Şiddetli Fiziksel Aktivite alt boyut puanı, haftada 3-4 gün ve 5-6 gün antrenman yapanlara göre daha düşüktür. Haftada 1-2 gün antrenman yapanların Orta Düzeyde Şiddetli Fiziksel Aktivite alt boyut puanı, haftada 3-4 gün ve 5-6 gün antrenman yapanlara göre daha düşüktür. Haftada 1-2 gün antrenman yapanların Toplam Fiziksel Aktivite puanı, haftada 3-4 gün ve 5-6 gün antrenman yapanlara göre daha düşüktür. Sigara içme durumu grupları arasında ölçek ve alt boyut puanları bakımından istatistiksel olarak anlamlı fark saptanmamıştır. Bunun yanı sıra alkol kullananların Yürüme alt boyut puanları kullanmayanlara göre daha düşük olduğu belirlenmiştir.

Student, Faculty, and Coach Perspectives on Why Athletes Excel in Medical School: A Qualitative Analysis

Article

Jul 2021

Phenomenon Medical schools are tasked with selecting applicants who will excel in a rigorous curriculum and successfully perform as future physicians. While many studies have assessed quantitative prematriculation data for predicting success in medical school, fewer studies have assessed for qualitative prematriculation factors influencing medical school performance. A recent study revealed that medical students with at least one year of varsity level college athletics participation outperformed their peers on United States Medical Licensing board exams and clinical clerkships. The current study sought to explore medical student, medical school faculty, and college coach perspectives about factors explaining why medical students with collegiate athletic experience succeed in medical school. Approach: In 2019, the authors conducted semi-structured interviews with medical students with collegiate athletic experience, medical school faculty with experience educating student athletes, and college coaches with experience training student athletes who matriculated into medical school. The interview transcripts were systematically coded and analyzed for themes using a grounded theory approach. Participants were recruited and interviewed until saturation of data was reached. Findings: Fifteen medical students with collegiate athletic experience, five medical school faculty, and three collegiate coaches participated in the study. Six themes were identified as important factors explaining the academic success of these students in medical school and each of these themes appeared in student, faculty, and coach interviews: goal setting, goal pursuit, and performance appraisal; development of time management, planning, and organizational skills; development of team values and teamwork skills; development of communication and interpersonal skills; acceptance of, coping strategies for, and resilient response to stress and adversity; and prioritization of personal wellness. Participants described meaningful connections between these attributes and skills, suggesting the students’ development, transfer, and application of them is interrelated. Insights: In this study, academic success of medical students with collegiate athletic experience was attributed to specific skills and attributes developed during college. The grounded theory life skills transfer model can explain transfer of these attributes and skills from college to the medical school setting. Theoretical frameworks and empirical study findings from the sociology, educational psychology, sports psychology, and medical education literature provide helpful lenses for understanding why these skills and attributes confer success among student athletes in medical school. These findings offer important insights on skill development that may support the academic success of all medical students.

The Impact of Physical Activity on the Academic Performance among Medical and Health Sciences Students: A Cross Sectional Study from RAKMHSU - Ras Alkhaimah-UAE

Article

Full-text available

Jul 2015

Physical activity is a crucial component of school curricula as it is suggested to increase the students’ academic performance. This may be applied in the university age group, especially when considering medical and health sciences colleges where higher stress levels are recorded. Aim: To assess the relationship between physical activity and academic performance among medical and health sciences students. Methods: an online questionnaire-based cross sectional study involved 198 students from RAK Medical and Health Sciences University was conducted to identify the level of physical activity and academic performance. Results were tabulated and analyzed using SPSS. Results: there was significant positive correlation between physical activity and academic performance (r = 0.208). However, the correlation was higher for BDS College with no significant difference with regard to nationality, age and gender.

Exercise and academic performance among nursing and kinesiology students at US colleges

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2014

Lack of physical activity is a contributor to the obesity epidemic and is speculated to relate to reduced academic performance; however, this link has yet to be examined within the college population. The purpose of this study in a group of undergraduate students, was to determine if aerobic exercise activity was related to academic performance. The participants for this study included 740 students at multiple universities enrolled in nursing and kinesiology studies. The participants completed the Leisure and Physical Activity Questionnaire. Pearson's χ(2) analysis revealed differences in grade point average with aerobic activity (χ(2) = 44.29, P ≤ 0.001) as well as a trend toward differences in grade point average with weightlifting activity (χ(2) = 22.69, P = 0.61). Based on these findings it can be suggested that college students engage in greater aerobic exercise.

Neural correlates of the development of cognitive control

Article

Full-text available

Feb 2009
NEUROSCI RES

Introduction One of the most salient ways in which our behavior changes during childhood and adolescence is that we get better at working towards long-term goals, ignoring irrelevant information that could distract us from these goals, and controlling our impulses – in other words, we exhibit improvements in cognitive control (Casey et al., 2005a; Diamond, 2002; Zelazo, 2004). Cognitive control relies on working memory, or the ability to keep relevant information in mind as needed to carry out an immediate goal. What precisely is changing in a child 's brain over time, enabling him or her to better control his/her thoughts and behavior? To what extent do these neural changes result from experience and practice, and to what extent do they result from predictable developmental changes in brain structure? What are the elemental control processes that develop during childhood? A number of brain imaging studies have been conducted in recent years in an effort to tackle these and other difficult questions about the developing brain (Casey et al., 2005b; Luna and Sweeney, 2004). In comparison to what is known about changes in brain structure over development (see Chapter 1 by Lu and Sowell), far less is known about the resulting changes in brain function. Below, we focus on recent event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies examining age-related changes in cognitive control.

Cerebral aging: Integration of brain and behavioral models of cognitive function

Article

Full-text available

Sep 2001

There are substantial declines in behavioral measures of cognitive function with age, including decreased function of executive processes and long-term memory. There is also evidence that, with age, there is a decrease in brain volume, particularly in the frontal cortex. When young and older adults perform cognitive tasks that depend heavily on frontal function, neuroimaging evidence indicates that older adults recruit additional brain regions in order to perform the tasks. This additional neural recruitment is termed "dedifferentiation," and can take multiple forms. This recruitment of additional neural tissue with age to perform cognitive tasks was not reflected in the behavioral literature, and suggests that there is more plasticity in the ability to organize brain function than was previously suspected. We review both behavioral and neuroscience perspectives on cognitive aging, and then connect the findings in the two areas. From this integration, we suggest important unresolved questions and directions for future research.

Physical Activity and Fitness Effects on Cognition and Brain Health in Children and Older Adults

Article

Feb 2012

Our increasingly inactive lifestyle is detrimental to physical and cognitive health. This review focuses on the beneficial relation of physical activity and aerobic fitness to the brain and cognitive health in a youth and elderly population to highlight the need to change this pattern. In children, increased physical activity and higher levels of aerobic fitness have been associated with superior academic achievement and cognitive processes. Differences in brain volumes and brain function of higher-fit and lower-fit peers are potential mechanisms underlying the performance differences in cognitive challenges. We hope that this research will encourage modifications in educational policies that will increase physical activity during the school day. In addition, older adults who participate in physical activity show higher performance on a variety of cognitive tasks, coupled with less risk of cognitive impairment. The cognitive enhancements are in part driven by less age-related brain tissue loss and increases in the efficiency of brain function. Given the increasing aging population and threat of dementia, research about the plasticity of the elderly active brain has important public health implications. Collectively, the data support that participation in physical activity could enhance daily functioning, learning, achievement, and brain health in children and the elderly.

Physical activity habits of physicians and medical students influence their counseling practices

Article

Physical Education and immediate mental performance of sixth-grade children

Jan 1993
PERCEPT MOTOR SKILL
1155-1159

D Mcnaughton
C Gabbard

McNaughton D, Gabbard C. Physical Education and immediate mental performance of sixth-grade children. Perceptual and Motor Skills. 1993;77:1155-1159.

The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain

Jan 2008

R J Spark

Spark RJ. The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company, 2008.

health sciences students: A Cross sectional study from RAKMHSU -Ras Alkhaimah-UAE

Jan 2015
92-95

health sciences students: A Cross sectional study from RAKMHSU -Ras Alkhaimah-UAE. International Journal of Physical Education, Sports and Health. 2015;2(1):92-95.