Misconceptions in fundamental physics: a study among medical students

Abstract Physics is foundational to medical practice, yet many first-year medical students enter their studies with persistent misconceptions about core physics concepts, potentially undermining their ability to understand physiological processes and medical technologies. This study investigates the prevalence and nature of these misconceptions among 52 first-year medical students enrolled in a medical physics course. Focusing on five clinically relevant topics—surface tension, blood pressure, viscosity, audiometry, and elasticity—the research employed a concept-based diagnostic test administered before and after instruction, alongside a background questionnaire assessing prior physics exposure, interest, and perceived relevance. Results revealed that surface tension and audiometry were the most poorly understood topics, with post-instruction scores remaining below 50%, suggesting limited conceptual gains. In contrast, viscosity showed the greatest improvement (+9.6%), followed by moderate gains in elasticity, while blood pressure was well-understood from the outset, indicating a possible ceiling effect. Item-level analysis exposed persistent misconceptions related to molecular mechanisms, sound frequency interpretation, and non-Newtonian fluid behaviour. Correlation analysis showed a moderate negative relationship between perceived difficulty and performance ( r = − 0.27), and a weak positive correlation with interest ( r = 0.15), while prior exposure, knowledge level, and perceived relevance showed negligible predictive value. These findings suggest that traditional instruction alone may be insufficient to correct deeply rooted misconceptions, especially where abstract or cross-disciplinary concepts are involved.