title: Academic performance of day scholars versus boarders in pharmacology examinations of a medical school in Pakistan.
abstract: To compare the academic performance of day scholar and boarder students in Pharmacology examinations.
  
  
  
  This comparative study was conducted at Rehman Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan, from June to September, 2015. It comprised third-year medical students of the sessions 2013-14 and 2014-15.The record of the results of examinations, which had already been conducted, were assessed. All the exams had two components, i.e. multiple-choice questions and short-essay questions. Students were categorised into 4 groups according to their academic performance: those who got <50% marks (Group 1); 51-69% marks (Group 2); 70-80% marks (Group 3); and >80% marks (Group 4). SPSS 20 was used for data analysis.
  
  
  
  Of the 200 students, 159(79.5%) were day scholars and 41(20.5%) were boarders. In multiple-choice questions, 29(70.7%) boarder students were in Group 2, while none of them was in Group 4. In short-essay questions, 11(26.8%) of them were in Group 1 and 17(41.5%) in Group 2. Results of day scholars' multiple-choice questions exams showed 93(58.5%) were in Group 2 and 2(1.3%) in Group 4. In short-essay questions, 63(39.6%) were in Group 2 (p>o.o5 each).
  
  
  
  No significant difference was found between the academic performance of boarders and day scholars.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Rehman Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Rizwan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Faisal
authors.affiliation: Trainee Medical Officer Gynae, Lady Reading hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Laiyla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Shinwari
authors.affiliation: Trainee Medical Officer Gynae, Lady Reading hospital, Peshawar, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Saadia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Izzat
mesh_terms: D000073978:Academic Performance; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D010154:Pakistan; D010600:Pharmacology / Q000193:education*; D012577:Schools, Medical; D013337:Students, Medical
keywords: Academic performance, Pharmacology, Multiple-choice questions, Short essay questions, Day scholars, Boarders. 