Abstract

Medical students, throughout their academic life, are under many stressing factors; among which is the academic workload. Thus its impact in their achievement is becoming a big problem that must be analyzed. Medical physiology is the subject that describes the functioning of the human body and the one with the highest index of failing grades in the second year under the Curricula of the Faculty of Medicine at the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM). Objective: The aim of this paper was to analyze the impact of emotional aspects, before each Human Physiology departmental test, in the achievement of medical students. Methodology: Beck instrument was applied before exams´ period to all students who voluntarily participated and the grades gotten in each of the four departmental exams were analyzed. Descriptive and inferential statistics were carried out. Results: We found a significant relationship between some medical students had sleeping disorders and high levels of irritability in the second exam and this may cause grade gotten. Conclusion: Educational institutions must direct their efforts towards the materialization of programs for the prevention and effective handling of stress in students and include learning strategies that may allow them to, in one side, face academic life; and in the other, to avoid harmful and risky behaviors that interfere with the fulfillment of university studies.