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Computer and Internet Utilization among the Medical Students in Qassim
University, Saudi Arabia
1105-1108
Correspondence
Dr. Mohamed Issa Ahmed,
Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied
Medical Sciences, Qassim University, P.O. Box: 6699,
Buraidah 51452, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Phone: 0557267971
E-mail: zkriea@qu.edu.sa
Background: Computer-based training (CBT) and internet-based training (IBT) have become a vital part of the Medical Education. A cross-sectional study was carried out in Qassim University-Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), with the objective of assessing the pattern of the computer and Internet utilization among both male and female medical students.
Methods: A total of 500 medical students from 4 different medical colleges of Qassim University participated in this study. A semi-structured, pre-tested questionnaire was used to collect the data and the data analysis was done by using SPSS, Version 17.
Results: Forty two percent female and twenty four percent male students used computers to get general information, 80% of the students reported using computers for academic activities and 52% females and 22% males used computers for entertainment. Most of the females preferred using computers at home (84%), while 54% males used computers at cyber cafés. For the information retrieval, 84% males used the internet, followed by journals/library (36%) and textbooks (35%), while the females preferred textbooks (75%) and the internet (14%). Google was found to be most commonly used search engine.
Conclusion: The internet creates an educational delivery system; it is highly needed to increase the credit hours for the university requirement courses in computer application and the internet use for both among the male and female students.