Time Management Experience for 1st Year Students of the Faculty of Medicine

Rudīte Koka and Ingus Skadiņš
Rīga Stradiņš University

Abstract

Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) has almost 70-year-experience in implementing health care and 20-year-experience social science studies. RSU has more than 9000 students, 26% of whom are international students. Beginning of studies at Rīga Stradiņš university (RSU) Faculty of Medicine, students have to change several aspects of studies compare to high school: much deeper study content and scope of studies, type of learning, more emphasis on full-time work, practical class and lecture schedule for day, week, semester, types examinations and their regularity, new organizational culture, study year members, study course lecturers, must learn new concepts, such as matriculation, study regulations, study course, department, colloquium and others. Some students of the Faculty of Medicine do not set priorities in time and end up lacking time, do not fulfill their goals, are not satisfied with their study results, even have health problems. Therefore, time planning, selection of appropriate study strategies, setting priorities is a challenge for 1st year students and lecturers to make a pedagogical contribution to help students successfully move forward in the study process. The aim of the research is to find out the student’s opinion about time management, the set goals and their implementation and implement and test a support system at the university level. Qualitative and quantitative methodology is used in the research: questionnaire for 1st year students Faculty of Medicine, focus group with field experts and focus group with students’ leaders from 1st year study programme of medicine. Pre - research stage, focus groups were conducted with specialists from the foreign department. The results highlighted the dimensions of benefits and challenges, clearly indicating the need to adjust the amount of time needed for studies, the need to strengthen time management skills and provide an effective support from study programme lecturers and university administration staff. Summarising the research results, it can be concluded that focusing on the set goal, recognizing time thieves, choosing learning and time planning strategies, self-discipline, decisions and their implementation are new challenges for 1st year students. A support system for lecturers, study year members, organizations and families are recommended and desirable. Keywords: time management, time planning strategies, self-discipline, effective support.


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