Relationship of Medical Student Lecture Attendance with Course, Clerkship, and Licensing Exam Scores

Objective: We sought to determine whether viewing versus attending lecture impacted medical student course and licensing examination performance, grades on clinical rotations, perceptions of school-life balance, and comfort with clinical skills.

Methods: Optional anonymous questionnaires were emailed to all first-year medical students (class of 2020) at Boston University School of Medicine at the end of their first academic year and again to this same class after their first clinical rotation. A separate questionnaire was emailed to fourth-year medical students (class of 2019) midway through their final year.

Results: One hundred five (55.5%) and 69 (36.5%) students from the class of 2020 completed the first and second questionnaires respectively. Eighty-one (45%) students from the class of 2019 completed the third questionnaire. Students who attended 75% or more and viewed fewer than 50% of lectures were classified as attenders. Those who viewed 75% or more and attended fewer than 50% of lectures were classified as viewers. The others were grouped as mixed users. There were no significant differences between the groups in preclinical grades, United States Medical Licensing Examination scores, satisfaction with perception of school-life balance, and student-reported comfort with clinical skills. Viewers achieved a lower percentage of honors overall in core clerkships ( = 0.0001) with the greatest difference noted in the Internal Medicine clerkship.

Conclusion: Despite similar preclinical test scores and perceived comfort with clinical skills, the percentage of students earning honors grades in clinical clerkships was lowest in first-year lecture viewers.