JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Understanding how medical students learn is critical for improving teaching strategies in clinical education. Despite the widespread use of learning style frameworks such as the Visual, Aural, Read/Write, and Kinesthetic (VARK) model, there is limited evidence from sub-Saharan Africa, and the utility of these approaches remains contested.

Objective:

This study aimed to determine the predominant learning style preferences of clinical students at a Nigerian medical school and to examine how demographic and academic factors influence these preferences.

Methods:

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 200 clinical students (400–600 level) at Niger Delta University using the validated VARK inventory (version 7.8). Descriptive statistics summarized learning style distributions, and chi-square tests assessed associations with gender, age, and year of study. Statistical significance was set at P < .05.

Results:

Of 200 participants (mean age 25.1 years, SD 3.9; 107/200, 53.5% male), 105 (52.5%) preferred unimodal learning and 95 (47.5%) multimodal. Kinesthetic (121/200, 60.5%) and auditory (110/200, 55.0%) were the most common dominant preferences, followed by read/write (68/200, 34.0%) and visual (36/200, 18.0%). Gender was significantly associated with visual preference (χ² = 4.49, P = .034), which was higher among males. Age showed no significant association with learning styles (P > .05). Year of study was significantly associated with read/write preference (χ² = 8.29, P = .016).

Conclusions:

Clinical students in this Nigerian setting predominantly favored kinesthetic and auditory learning, with nearly half reporting multimodal preferences. Medical educators should adopt blended instructional strategies such as clinical simulations, bedside teaching, small-group discussions, and audio-visual resources to accommodate diverse learning needs and enhance engagement. This study expands evidence on learning preferences among medical students in sub-Saharan Africa. By integrating interactive, multimodal approaches into the curriculum, medical schools can foster inclusive learning environments and better prepare students for professional practice.