Needs assessment in surgical undergraduate teaching in a South Asian cohort; implications for cultural adaptations

Introduction Student-centered learning has been accepted and adopted globally and the evidence for this is mainly derived from Western populations. Research in the recent past has identified the conflicts of implementing these concepts across different cultures. Method A needs assessment was carried out amongst a cohort of medical undergraduates regarding their lack of active participation in general learning activities and small group discussions using an anonymous online questionnaire. Results Majority of the students were in agreement that the active participation of medical students (54%) in learning activities and that their personal involvement during classes (61%) was inadequate. Deficiency in language skills (34%), anxiety to make mistakes in public (46%), and reluctance to address the teachers directly (41%) were the leading reasons for the lack of participation. Several structural, resource, and time-related local factors were identified as reasons for poor contributions to small group discussions. The student population was more interested in conceptual learning than assessment-oriented teaching. Conclusion Socio-cultural and personality-related anxieties such as addressing the teachers and making mistakes in front of peers were the leading causes for the lack of active participation. Deficiencies in English language skills contributed. Although novel learning methods have been shown to be effective in higher education there may be a need for cultural adaptations or student orientation prior to their implementation for the best results. More research in this area is needed.