A Qualitative Study to Assess the Impact of Hostel Life on Undergraduate Medical Students

Background: The period of transition from adolescence to adulthood is marked by notable changes in an individual’s personality and behavior, primarily influenced by genetics, although interactions with their social environment also play a part. Teenagers living in hostels at universities who are not living with their families may therefore be impacted by their surroundings. Therefore the goal of the present study mainly focuses on learning about students’ expectations and happiness with their hostel experience and how that affects their academic achievement. Material and Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in a tertiary level medical college in Punjab. A qualitative survey was conducted by Focus group discussion among undergraduate medical students. A total of 8 male students and 8 female students, are included in this study. Two focus group discussions were conducted. The study participants were asked about their opinions regarding the impact of hostel life on the behaviour and personality of medical students. FGD was conducted employing a focus group discussion guide. The data from the FGD was recorded and the collected data were entered in Microsoft Excel and analysed based on systematic coding. After being coded, the segments that shared a common subject were categorized as constructive and destructive domains. Results: Students gain experience interacting with a variety of people while living in hostels, and their patience also grows there. It equips students to handle difficulties that arise in real life. The constructive theme was categorized into the following domains: Personality, Collaboration, Academic performance, long-lasting bonding and developing life skills. The destructive theme was categorized as addictive behaviour, emotional imbalance, peer pressure and financial issues. The majority of the male students living in hostels suffer from substance abuse and peer pressure. Conclusion: Medical students have a favourable educational atmosphere, but they also face a number of problems and a great deal of academic stress, which negatively impacts their academic performance.