Perception of Indian medical students on teaching–learning in vernacular language: A qualitative survey

Background Indian medical students from vernacular language mediums of education may face challenges in understanding the medical syllabus as modern medicine is taught exclusively in English. We investigated the perception of Indian first-year medical students regarding learning in a vernacular language. Methods We did an in-depth telephone interview with first-year medical students from various states in India. A pre-designed survey guide was used to collect data on six domains (books, classes, classroom communication, written examination, and viva) with open-ended questions. Recorded phone calls were transcribed and analyzed thematically in QDA Miner Lite v.2.0.8 (Provalis Research, Montreal, Canada). Results Eighty first-year medical students (53 male; 61 from government-run colleges; 47 had a vernacular language medium of education in high school) participated in this survey. A total of 9 themes were generated from the text transcript. The themes centered on the perception of vernacular language in books, classes, classroom questioning, expression, written examinations, attending viva voce, the option of career progression, communicating with teachers and patients, the optional nature of vernacular language, and issues related to access to online study materials. Conclusion The introduction of medical education in vernacular languages has both advantages and disadvantages. The major perceived advantages include a better understanding, improved memory, and enhanced ability to express both verbally and in written form. In contrast, the lack of books and other media in vernacular languages, inter-state migration of students, and challenges in super-specialty education are among the limitations. Hence, the implementation should be planned with caution.