title: Association of academic performance of premedical students to satisfaction and engagement in a short training program: a cross sectional study presenting gender differences.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  It is important that students have a high academic engagement and satisfaction in order to have good academic achievement. No study measures association of these elements in a short training program. This study aimed to measure the correlation between academic achievement, satisfaction and engagement dimensions in a short training program among premedical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  We carried out a cross sectional study, in August 2013, at Cercle d'Etudiants, Ingénieurs, Médecins et Professeurs de Lycée pour le Triomphe de l'Excellence (CEMPLEX) training center, a center which prepares students for the national common entrance examination into medical schools in Cameroon. We included all students attending this training center during last examination period. They were asked to fill out a questionnaire on paper. Academic engagement was measured using three dimensions: vigor, dedication and absorption. Satisfaction to lessons, for each learning subject was collected. Academic achievement was calculated using mean of the score of all learning subjects affected with their coefficient. Pearson coefficient (r) and multiple regression models were used to measure association. A p value < 0.05 was statistically significant.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 180 students were analyzed. In univariate linear analysis, we found correlation with academic achievement for vigor (r = 0.338, p = 0.006) and dedication (r = 0.287, p = 0.021) only in male students. In multiple regression linear analysis, academic engagement and satisfaction were correlated to academic achievement only in male students (R2 = 0.159, p = 0.035). No correlation was found in female students and in all students. The independent variables (vigor, dedication, absorption and satisfaction) explained 6.8-24.3% of the variance of academic achievement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is only in male students that academic engagement and satisfaction to lessons are correlated to academic achievement in this short training program for premedical students and this correlation is weak.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Yaoundé 1, P,O, Box 1364, Yaoundé, Cameroon. bignarimjj@yahoo.fr.
authors.forename: Jean Joel R
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Bigna
authors.forename: Loic
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Fonkoue
authors.forename: Manuela Francette F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Tchatcho
authors.forename: Christelle N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Dongmo
authors.forename: Dorothée M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Soh
authors.forename: Joseph Lin Lewis N
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Um
authors.forename: Paule Sandra D
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Sime
authors.forename: Landry A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Affana
authors.forename: Albert Ruben N
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Woum
authors.forename: Steve Raoul N
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Noumegni
authors.forename: Alphonce
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tabekou
authors.forename: Arlette M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Wanke
authors.forename: Herman Rhais K
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Taffe
authors.forename: Miriette Linda N
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Tchoukouan
authors.forename: Kevin O
authors.initials: KO
authors.lastname: Anyope
authors.forename: Stephane Brice E
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Ella
authors.forename: Berny Vanessa T
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Mouaha
authors.forename: Edgar Y
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Kenne
authors.forename: Ulrich Igor K
authors.initials: UI
authors.lastname: Mbessoh
authors.forename: Adrienne Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Tchapmi
authors.forename: Donald F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Tene
authors.forename: Steve S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Voufouo
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Zogo
authors.forename: Linda P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Nouebissi
authors.forename: Kevine F
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Satcho
authors.forename: Wati Joel T
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Tchoumo
authors.forename: Moise Fabrice
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Basso
authors.forename: Bertrand Daryl N
authors.initials: BD
authors.lastname: Tcheutchoua
authors.forename: Ako A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Agbor
mesh_terms: D000124:Achievement; D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D012737:Sex Factors; D013340:Students, Premedical / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult