Customization of the clinical session timetables by undergraduate dental students at Mahidol University
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Abstract
Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency, period, and causes of dental students’
customization of their timetable in clinical courses to improve timetable management.
Materials and Methods: The data were retrieved from the request letters for changing clinical session
timetables submitted by Year-4, Year-5, and Year-6 dental students in academic year 2019 at the Faculty of
Dentistry Mahidol University. The data were analysed in terms of frequency, period of the year, and reasons
for the change.
Results: Two-hundred and ninety-one request letters revealed that: 1). The Year-6 dental students most frequently submitted the request forms for a change in clinical session timetables, which comprised 47.08% of the letters, while the forms submitted by the Year-5 and the Year-4 students comprised 43.30% and 9.62%, respectively. 2).The most common period of the year that students requested a change in timetables was October 2019 (20.96%); the second and third most common were September 2019 (20.62%) and November 2019 (16.84%), respectively. 3).The most common reasons for requesting a session change were patients (89.35%, e.g. inconvenient time for patients), student-related issues (5.84%), and learning systems (4.81%, e.g. treatment process, research presentations, and problems regarding the clinical timetable management system).
Conclusion: The Year-6 dental students most frequently requested changing their clinical session timetables,
especially between September–November, which was the end of the first semester. The most common reason was patient inconvenience. The relevant factors will be taken into consideration for student timetable management in clinical sessions in the future
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References
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