ATTITUDE TOWARDS INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY AMONG UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN ARMY MEDICAL COLLEGE: A SURVEY

Information and Communications Technology

Abstract

Objective: To assess computer awareness and attitude towards information and communications technology (ICT) of undergraduate students of Army Medical College.

Methods: During May 2006 a questionnaire containing 16 questions was distributed among students of first year and final year MBBS. Topics queried include the computer awareness, ownership, and the status of Internet related activities as well as students exposure to usage of computers.   

Results: Overall 203 medical students filled the questionnaire with 98 (48%) boys and 105 (52%) girls. Computer literacy: male (90%), female (89%) and overall (89%). Knowledge of software is as follows: MS Word (63%), MS Power point (63%), emailing (82%) and surfing of Internet (77%). Eighty eight percent had computer at home. Seventy eight percent had access to Internet at home. Thirty nine percent of the students indicated that they used the Internet form home regularly and 21% indicated that they used the Internet from college regularly. Eighty percent had email address. Thirty nine percent want to ask questions to teacher by email. Ninety percent indicated that computer is beneficial to study. Ninety one percent indicated that internet is beneficial to study. Seventy six percent stated that the ICT may be incorporated into the curricula training. Seventy four percent of the students living in hostel indicated that they needed internet in the room.      

Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the computer awareness among undergraduate medical students is encouraging but still need to be improved for computer assisted medical learning.