title: Factors potentially influencing academic performance among medical students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Studies are needed to examine predictors of success in medical school. The aim of this work is to explore factors that potentially influence excellence of medical students.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted in the Medical Faculty of King Abdulaziz University during October 2012. A self-administered questionnaire was used. Medical students with a grade point average (GPA) ≥4.5 (out of 5) were included and compared to randomly selected medical students with a GPA <4.5, who were available at the time of the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 359 undergraduate students participated in the study. 50.4% of the sample was students with a GPA ≥4.5. No statistically significant difference regarding the time spent on outings and social events was found. However, 60.7% of high GPA students spend less than 2 hours on social networking per day as compared to 42.6% of the lower GPA students (P<0.01). In addition, 79% of high GPA students prefer to study alone (P=0.02), 68.0% required silence and no interruptions during studying time (P=0.013), and 47% revise their material at least once before an exam (P=0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Excellent medical students have many different characteristics. For example, they do not use social networking for prolonged periods of time, and they have strong motivation and study enjoyment. Further studies are needed to examine whether these differences have a real impact on GPA or not.
authors: Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Lana
authors: L
authors: Al Shawwa
authors: Department of Medicine-Neurology, King Fahad National Guard Hospital, King Abdulziz Medical City, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Ahmad A
authors: AA
authors: Abulaban
authors: Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Abdulrhman A
authors: AA
authors: Abulaban
authors: Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Anas
authors: A
authors: Merdad
authors: Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Sara
authors: S
authors: Baghlaf
authors: Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Ahmed
authors: A
authors: Algethami
authors: Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Joullanar
authors: J
authors: Abu-Shanab
authors: Department of Medical Education, College of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Abdulrahman
authors: A
authors: Balkhoyor
keywords: King Abdulaziz University KAU; exam habits; medical school; study habits