Background:

Students studying in the first year of the MBBS program are faced with challenges of adapting to the rigors of professional education. Students residing in home and non-home environments experience different staying conditions which may affect their academic performance. An insight into this may help to identify areas for appropriate intervention to improve academic performance.

Aims and Objectives:

This study was performed with the objective of comparing the academic performance of 1^st Year MBBS students residing in home and non-home environment.

Methodology:

The study included one group of 50 first year MBBS students residing away from home in the hostel or in paying guest accommodations and another group of 52 first year MBBS students residing at home. The percentage marks in the 1^st year university examination of these two groups of students were compared using the independent t test. NEET-UG scores (considered as a measure of past academic performance) of the two groups were also compared using the independent t test. Information regarding residential status, NEET-UG scores and percentage of marks in 1^st MBBS university examination was obtained from college records.

Results:

Students residing in home environment had significantly higher percentage of marks  [Mean = 67.61% ]than students residing in non-home environment [ Mean = 60.57%].There was no significant difference in NEET-UG scores between the two groups implying homogeneity of the groups with respect to past academic performance. There were no outliers in our study.

Conclusion: Students staying in home environment are likely to show better academic performance than students staying in non-home environment. However environment could be only one of the reasons and not the only reason that affect academic performance.

Keywords: Home Environment, Non-home Environment, Academic Performance