Assessment of the capacity to work with data: a cross-sectional study done in first year medical students at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya

Abstract

INTRODUCTION & OBJECTIVES: Spreadsheets and programming languages (PL) facilitate data storage, organization, retrieval and analysis. Experience in the above builds critical thinking capabilities that are supportive to discerning in students. METHODS: A Moodle based self-administered questionnaire was given to collect data from new entrants in 2017. RESULTS: Among 155 students, 57% were females. 85% of students [54 (82%) in males vs 77 (87 %) in females, p=0.57] had prior experience in Excel. 20% of students [11 (18%) in males vs 18 (23 %) in females, p=0.27] indicated that they were good in using Excel. 27% students [16 (24%) in males vs 26 (29%) in females, p=0.61] had prior experience in PL. 6% of students [2 (5%) in males vs 4 (8%) females, p=0.61] indicated that they were good in using PL. There were no significant associations between the grade five scholarship results and Z score with Excel use (p=0.98 and p=0.16 respectively) as well as with PL use (p=0.19 and p=0.45 respectively). Spreadsheet usage in students from the Western province was not differerent from the rest of the provinces (83% vs 89% respectively, p=0.46), or PL usage in students from the Western province from the rest (32% vs 22%, p=0.25). CONCLUSION: Majority of students have used spreadsheets but were not competent. One fourth have used PL and only 6% were competent. There were no gender differences in the usage of spreadsheets and PL.