Impact of Online and Face-to-Face Education on Learning and Satisfaction Levels of Medical Students in the Medical Physiology Course

Introduction: Effective performance in online education increasingly impacts the quality of classes and, consequently, student learning outcomes. This study aims to compare satisfaction levels and learning rates between online and face-to-face methods of teaching medical physiology. Material Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study involved 79 medical students divided into two groups. The first group received instruction on heart physiology (5 weeks, one session per week) online via the Navid system, while the second group received face-to-face instruction. At the study’s conclusion, both groups underwent the same test to assess learning outcomes, and satisfaction with the teaching methods was evaluated through a questionnaire. Data analysis was conducted using Stata 14 statistical software, employing logistic regression and linear regression models. Results: The two groups differed in terms of the course studied, student nativeness, and satisfaction levels with the educational method. Satisfaction with online education was reported at 69%, compared to 65% for the face-to-face method. The average learning score for students in the online group was 12.93±0.12, while in the face-to-face group, it was 13.48±0.47. However, the linear regression model revealed no significant relationship between students’ scores and specific educational methods (p=0.32). Significant relationships were observed between age, nativeness, and dormitory accommodation with satisfaction levels in online education. Conversely, none of the variables showed a significant relationship with satisfaction levels in face-to-face education. Conclusion:  Both e-learning and face-to-face methods demonstrated relatively similar effects on students’ learning outcomes. However, satisfaction levels with online education appear to be influenced by variables such as age, nativeness, and dormitory accommodation.