Personality and Learning Behavioral Characteristics as Predictors of Academic Achievement of Medical Students

Abstract

This study investigates whether personality characteristics and learning behaviors can predict medical students’ academic achievement in Korea, specifically in terms of successfully completing medical school without delays or achieving a high grade point average (GPA) in their final year. In May 2018, 316 medical students took the Multi-Dimensional Learning Strategy Test, 2nd edition, which provided data on their personality and learning behavioral characteristics. Their final year’s GPA and any delays in completing medical school were ascertained by reviewing all electronic academic records of each semester they had been enrolled. The combination of personality and learning behavioral characteristics was significantly associated with completing medical school without delays, even after adjusting for sex and admission path. A multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the adjusted odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals for completing medical school without delays were 1.52 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.83–2.78) and 3.64 (95% CI, 1.70–7.82) for “others” and “both high” categories, respectively, when compared with the “both low” category. For 235 students who completed medical school without delays, their learning behavioral characteristics (scores) were significantly associated with their final year’s GPA even after adjusting for sex, admission path, and personality characteristics (scores) as determined by the multiple linear regression analysis. This study suggests that individual personality and learning behavior characteristics are predictors of medical students’ academic achievement. Therefore, interventions such as personalized counseling programs should be provided in consideration of such student characteristics.