Effects of Integrating Physiology Lessons to Clinical and Para-Clinical Findings on Medical Students' Attitude and Motivation toward Physiology Lesson

Introduction: Applicability of theoretical material in basic sciences courses of medicine discipline plays an important role in enhancing students' motivation and interest to the lessons. This study aimed to assess the effects of integrating physiology lessons to clinical and para-clinical findings on students' attitude and motivation toward physiology lesson. Methods: This pre-experimental study was performed on 75 medical students of semester 4 in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. Along with studying theoretical materials of physiology, students attended in clinical and para-clinical wards of educational hospitals and were acquainted with physiologic basis of diseases. Students' attitude, motivation, and interest towards physiology were evaluated before and after integration. The study method was also assessed after integration using a questionnaire. Data was analyzed by SPSS software using mean, standard deviation, and comparisons was done by t-test. Results: Findings showed that students' interest in attending study which was 15.30±0.25 before the program, enhanced to 17.38±0.35 after that (p>0.05). On the other hand, study of students' attitude toward physiology lesson revealed mean score and standard deviation of 11.30±0.33 before integration which enhanced to 16.71±0.25 after integration and confirmed a significant difference. Assessing the teaching method and general settings of course conduction disclosed 19.08 score out of total score of twenty. Conclusion: Attendance at hospital and contact to the patients along with theoretical education can increase internal motivation and improve students' attitude toward basic sciences courses and physiology particularly.