title: Gender differences in undergraduate medical examination results in Sri Lanka.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify possible gender related differences in performance at undergraduate medical examinations in Sri Lanka.
  
  
  METHODS
  Results of examinations conducted by the faculty of medicine, University of Kelaniya in 1997 and 1998, and data published by the University Grants Commission (UGC) on final examinations conducted by 4 other Sri Lankan medical faculties (in the Universities of Colombo, Peradeniya, Ruhuna and Jaffna) in 1996 and 1997, were analysed for sex related differences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The proportion of women in each batch of students who sat for 8 examinations conducted at the faculty of medicine, University of Kelaniya in 1997 and 1998, ranged from 40.7 to 48.4% (average 44.3%). Among students sitting for the final MBBS examinations in other medical faculties in 1996 and 1997, the proportion of women ranged from 37.3% in Peradeniya to 53.7% in Jaffna. The proportions of women who obtained "classes" were higher than that of men in 12/15 examinations, with statistically significant differences in four. Higher proportions of men were referred or failed in all 8 examinations analysed; the differences were statistically significant in two.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Women appear to do marginally better than men in undergraduate medical examinations in Sri Lanka.
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Kelaniya.
authors.forename: N R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: de Silva
authors.forename: M I
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Thabrew
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Saparamadu
authors.forename: D K
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Jayawardena
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Arachchige
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Weerawardhane
authors.forename: Y I
authors.initials: YI
authors.lastname: Gunawardena
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003099:College Admission Test; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013188:Sri Lanka; D013340:Students, Premedical