Utilization and impact of online sourcing of information on the academic performance of medical students in a Nigerian university

This study examines the use of internet facilities by medical students of the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM) Ikeja. Apart from serving as a learning tool, the sourcing of information through the internet motivates students to undertake research and helps them to develop skills in collecting and analyzing data. A two-part questionnaire was developed and used to elicit the necessary information for the study. Three hundred and five copies of the questionnaire were distributed to the students in the College of Medicine Ikeja, Nigeria, out of which 250 copies were completed, returned and used for the study. This constitutes 81.9% response rate. Findings showed that the medical students have access to internet facilities, although majority of the respondents (46.4%) have access through cybercafes around the campus. On the average, respondents spent at least between 30 min and 1 h accessing the internet on a weekly basis. The study also revealed that medical students consulted the PUBMED database regularly and that access to myriads of online resources through the internet has a positive effect on the academic performance of the respondents. The study recommends increase in the number of computer terminals for accessing internet facility in the College including acquisition of internet ready computers for the College library. Another vital recommendation is the need for an increase in the bandwidth of the hub for the internet connectivity in the College.   Key words: Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja, Nigeria, internet use, academic performance, students’ usage, education.