Attitude, Awareness and Usage Skills of Computer and Internet among Medical Students

Background: The aim of this study is to assess the pattern of computer and internet use among the undergraduate medical students of S.V.Medical College, Tirupati. Methods: 180 first year medical students participated in the study. A questionnaire was designed to know their level of computer and internet usage skills. Results: Maximum number of students was aged 18 with 60% females. Among the users, 88.3% have own computer at home and majority are using it for entertainment. 68.89% have average computer skill and majority use internet daily or every alternate day. Majority (78.89%) is satisfied with computer assisted teaching and many would like to have short training courses for acquiring computer knowledge in their institution. Conclusion: The study shows that majority of medical students had experience with computer and internet, but the frequency, pattern and purpose of use is variable. More facilities should be available to the students regarding computer and internet for better utilization of internet resources.