CHALLENGES IN LEARNING BIOCHEMISTRY AT THE UNDERGRADUATE LEVEL: PERCEPTIONS AND OPINIONS OF UNIVERSITY STUDENTS.

Introduction: The majority of university students consider biochemistry as a difficult subject. This is expressed in many failures and low grades. Nevertheless, biochemistry constitutes an integral component of the training programs for medical and biological science students. It is the basis for understanding the mechanisms of life. Objectif: The aim of our study is to identify students' difficulties in learning biochemistry, in order to deduce the main causes and factors behind the low level of achievement in this subject. Methods: To this end, we conducted a questionnaire survey of undergraduate students. Results: Students think that the main challenges in learning biochemistry are the complexity of the subject and the large amount of information that must be assimilated in a limited time. Furthermore, the language of instruction and the lack of tutorials and practical work may also act as additional obstacles to the learning process. In addition, the lack of basic knowledge and the classical teaching methods can also be identified as potential sources of difficulty. Conclusion: At the end of our study, we were able to elucidate the main factors and obstacles that hinder the learning of biochemistry. The students have proposed a series of solutions, including the implementation of innovative teaching methods that encourage active learning, as well as the integration of new communication and information technologies (ICT).