Evaluation of the level of physical efficiency in medical students

Abstract

Introduction: The quality of the teaching-learning process in Physical Education, depends on the appropriate development of abilities and physical capacities, which implies the search of more appropriate ways of determining the deficiencies of our students in a more successful way.

Objective: To evaluate the level of physical efficiency in medical students.

Material and Methods: An explanatory study with experiment design was conducted in the Subsidiary of Medical Sciences "Gabriela Arias" in Cárdenas municipality during the 2015-2016 academic year. The universe was composed of 54 first year medical students that fulfilled the inclusion criteria; a sample of 20 students was selected, who were randomly distributed in two groups. Tests of physical integrated behavior corresponding to the Physical Education syllabus were applied to the control group; and field tests of functional performance were applied to the experimental group.

Results: The tests of physical integrated behavior conceived in the syllabus, do not demonstrate any evidence that determines the aerobic capacity; therefore, the lesson plans do not have the required scientific quality. The field tests of functional performance allow to carry out a correct planning of the training loads to be able to fulfill the objectives of the preparation, knowing the functional characteristics of the students and their responses to the training loads.

Conclusions: The application of the field tests of functional performance provides a greater comprehensiveness in the evaluation process of the different energetic, aerobic, and anaerobic systems.

Keywords: Ergometry, education and physical training, aerobic exercise, evaluation, anaerobiosis.