Determining the Relationship Between Motivation Towards Learning and Academic Performance Among Medical Students

Objective: To find out significant parameters to measure student's learning motivation and examine their relationship with academic performance. Methods: A quantitative correlational study was conducted on 225 MBBS students from May 2018 to June 2018 to examine above mentioned relationship. Stratified random sampling technique was used to draw sample out of accessible population. Data were collected after informed consent from students using a demographic survey and Modified Archer's Health Professions Motivation Survey (MAHPMS). Information regarding student's scores in their professional examinations was obtained from examination department with due permission. Data were analysed using IBM SPSS 21. Pearson co-efficient of co-relation of four scales of MAHPMS and scores of students were calculated. Scatter plots were used to calculate relationship for each scale of MAHPMS i.e. goal orientation, preference for difficult or easy task, learning strategies and locus of control (independent variables) and marks of students (dependent variable). Results: Goal orientation and marks were 91.7% positively correlated, preference for difficult or easy was 45.6% positively correlated with marks, learning strategies and marks were 48.2% and locus of control and marks were 25.7% positively correlated. Conclusion: Results of the study confirmed that there is positive relationship between student's learning motivation as measured by four sub-scales of MAHPMS and academic performance of students as measured by marks.