Self-reported extracurricular activity, academic success, and quality of life in UK medical students

OBJECTIVES To explore the relationship between academic performance, extracurricular activity, and quality of life at medical school in the UK to aid our understanding of students' work-life balance. METHODS A cross-sectional study, using an electronic questionnaire distributed to UK final year medical students across 20 medical schools (4478 students). Participants reported the hours of self-regulated learning and extracurricular activities undertaken each year at medical school; along with their academic decile (1 = highest, 10 = lowest). Self-reported quality of life (QoL) was assessed using an established screening tool (7 = highest, 1 = lowest). RESULTS Seven hundred responses were obtained, across 20 participating medical schools, response rate 16% (700/4478). Factors associated with higher academic achievement were: graduate entry course students (2 deciles higher, p < 0.0001), more hours academic study during term and revision periods (rho=-0.1, p < 0.01), and involvement in teaching or research. Increased hours of study was associated with lower QoL (rho = -0.13, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Study skills may be more important than duration spent studying, for academic achievement and QoL. Graduate-entry students attain higher decile scores despite similar self-reported duration of study.