Abstract

Background: It is important to analyse if an undergraduate medical student is psychologically fit and mature enough to take up the challenge of facing the subjects, understanding and developing an applicative knowledge from the subjects. In view of this, the present study was planned. Objectives: To understand students’ perspective regarding the Introduction of a Pre-Medical course study program to Undergraduate Medical curriculum. Materials & Method: The present study was conducted in Chennai Medical College Hospital & Research Centre, Trichy, from April-July 2016. After obtaining ethical clearance from the Institutional Ethics Committee, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 second year under graduate medical students of both genders between 17-19 years of age. Data was analyzed using the SPSS statistical program (IBM SPSS statistics 21). Results: More than half (66%) of the students felt stressed during their first year in medical school. 54% of them stated the need for a pre-medical course program. 97% of the students suggested the inclusion of stress management classes and classes to develop their clinical applicative skills as part of their undergraduate medical curriculum. Discussion and Conclusion: The overload of course materials creates a feeling of disappointment because of the inability to handle all the information at once and succeed during the first year of the medical course. Our study results will be helpful to manage stress and develop clinical and application skills to medical undergraduate.

Authors and Affiliations