Correlation of studentsʼ characteristics with their learning styles as they begin medical school

PURPOSE: To investigate the relationship between learning styles (surface, strategic, and deep learning) and admission data for an incoming class of medical students. METHOD: In 1997, the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory (ASSIST) was administered to the University of Alberta Medical School's incoming class as part of their orientation. Ninety percent of the class completed the questionnaire, the results of which were correlated with prerequisite grade-point average (GPA), MCAT scores, number of years of premedical experience, and scores on autobiography, interview, and letters of reference. RESULTS: Higher surface-learning scores correlated significantly with younger age at admission to medical school, as well as with higher GPA. There was a positive correlation between GPA and surface learning in the group of students with more than four years of premedical experience. CONCLUSIONS: The need to compete for grades in prerequisite courses may be a factor contributing to surface learning in new medical students.