European Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine

process in medical schools due to the pressure of academic assessments. Stress is an unpleasant expenditure which is faced by students in day-to-day life. Stress in medical students can be reduced when they enjoy the process of learning (1). Students might learn best when teaching methods and activities match their learning styles and preferences. Learning styles are a popular concept in Psychology and education and are included to identify how people learn best (2). There are several methods available to measure learning styles (3), however, the Visual, aural, Reading and kinaesthetic (VARK) questionnaire is a well-established method of assessing different learning styles.  VARK model is a 16-item questionnaire, which suggests that there are four main types of learners namely visual, auditory, Reading/writing and kinaesthetic (4-6). The VARK model suggests that the following sensory modalities reflect how students learn best. Visual learners: Learn best by seeing charts and graphs, infographics, outlines, visual aids and slide deck PPTs. Aural: Learn best by hearing information, podcasts, lectures, verbal instructions, discussions, and recordings. Reading and /or writing learners: They prefer to take in information that is displayed as words and text-reading books, note-taking, assessment and case studies. Kinaesthetic learners: learn best by role-playing, scenario training and hands-on training (6).

Students can have different learning styles, which are often grouped into two types: unimodal and multimodal. Unimodal learners prefer one main way of learning, while multimodal learners learn best through two or more learning styles. Today, more students are interested in healthcare studies, leading to an increase in healthcare courses. The institutions that provide these healthcare courses must produce skilled future healthcare professionals who are ready for the field. The way students learn in class is very important for their success. The study methods students use have an impact on their success and career growth (7). Also, the teaching methods and the way lecturers present information can influence how much students enjoy learning. In many cases, students may not know their learning styles or which study methods work best for them. Learning styles can be different from one person to another, and they can even change based on a student’s environment. Healthcare students, in particular, may need different ways of learning, as they must acquire comprehensive clinical knowledge before treating patients.

In general psychology, learning styles describe a person’s preferred way to learn, which includes how they take in, process, and remember information. One popular way to assess learning style is the VARK questionnaire, developed by Kolb, which identifies visual, auditory, reading/writing, and kinesthetic preferences (8). While most people have a dominant or preferred learning style, some have a mix of styles that work well together (9). Many students don’t realize their preferred learning style, which can lead to boredom if they don’t study in the way that suits them best. Knowing one’s learning style can help students stay interested and do better in their academics.

Understanding individual learning preferences can be helpful when study strategies and learning styles match, where learning is easy and studies become enjoyable. Though there are studies on VARK learning styles in medical students, there is very limited literature on the effect of Gender on VARK learning styles.  Exploring gender differences and VARK learning styles allows for a deeper understanding of how gender may influence cognitive processing and interaction with different types of content, which can be valuable for designing inclusive educational materials. Understanding the relationship between gender and learning styles can also help reduce biases in teaching practices, ensuring that both male and female students are supported in ways that align with their unique learning preferences. With this background, we aim to study VARK learning styles in medical students and explore whether gender differences exist in their learning preferences, which could provide valuable insights into how to adapt teaching methods to better support their individual learning needs.

committee approval, in the Department of Physiology, Sri Venkateswara Medical College, Tirupati, employing a descriptive study design to observe the different learning styles and preferences of medical undergraduate students of the college.

Study population:

The study population comprised healthy undergraduate volunteers of Sri Venkateswara Medical College, Tirupati. A total of 144 participants including 55 males and 89 females participated in the study.

Healthy undergraduate student volunteers (18-22 years), who are willing to participate in the study were included. Students who have any chronic illness and do not give consent were excluded from the study.

Research tool:

The primary research tool employed in this study is a pre-designed standard questionnaire - The VARK Questionnaire (Version 8.01). VARK Questionnaire consists of 16 questions, each targeting specific aspects essential for identifying their learning style (6).

Data collection procedure:

 The data was collected through a structured process. Volunteers were recruited from the first year of their undergraduate programs. Information about the study’s purpose and significance was shared during initial interaction to encourage participation. The participants were briefed on the importance of their contribution and after assuring confidentiality and obtaining the written informed consent, they were provided the questionnaires. They were asked to read each question carefully and tick the appropriate answer that best reflected their views. After completing the process, questionnaires were securely gathered. The data was then entered into an Excel spreadsheet and organized for analysis. Using the spreadsheet, pie charts and graphs were generated that visually represented the findings. The results from the data analysis were documented for further discussion.

This study was based on a primary method of data collection, namely a questionnaire. At the baseline, we recruited 160 volunteers of which 144 completed the full questionnaires. The absolute scoring of VARK learning styles in all undergraduate students (n=144) of the study population is shown in Figure 1. As per the data, Kinesthetic styles is preferred the most by undergraduate students with 32% followed by auditory style with 30%. Visual and reading styles have 22% and 16% preference respectively.

Figure 1. Pie chart showing VARK learning styles of undergraduate students

Absolute scoring of VARK learning styles in Male students (n=55) of the study population were shown in Figure 2. As per the data, male students preferred auditory style the most with 32% followed by kinesthetic style with 29%. Visual and reading styles have 21% and 18% preference respectively.

Figure 2. Pie chart showing VARK learning styles of Male Students

The absolute scoring of VARK learning styles in female students (n=89) of the study population is shown in Figure 3. As per the data, female students preferred the Kinesthetic style the most with 34% followed by auditory style with 29%. Visual and reading styles have 22% and 15% preference respectively.

Figure 3. Pie chart showing VARK learning styles of Female students

Table 1. Mean Quartile ranges of VARK styles among Male and Female students

Table 2. Difference between means of VARK scores of males and females using Kruskal-Wallis H (equivalent to Chi-square)

Different modalities of VARK learning styles in all undergraduate students (n=144) of the study population are shown in Figure 4. As per the data, Quadmodal and trimodal are the most preferred modalities by undergraduate students with 32% followed by bimodal and unimodal with 28% and 8% preference respectively.

Figure 4. Pie chart showing different modalities of VARK in undergraduate students

Different modalities of VARK learning styles in all male students (n=55) of the study population are shown in Figure 5. As per the data, Quadmodal is the most preferred modality by male students with 36% followed by trimodal, bimodal and unimodal with 35%, 22% and 7% preference respectively

Figure 5. Pie chart showing different modalities of VARK in male students

Different modalities of VARK learning styles in female students (n=89) of the study population are shown in Figure 6. As per the data, Bimodal is the most preferred modality by female students with 33% followed by trimodal, quadmodal, and unimodal with 30%, 29% and 8% preference respectively.

Figure 6. Pie chart showing different modalities of VARK in Female students

Learning styles refer to the ways people prefer to receive and process information. Studies on learning styles in other countries have shown different results. Research by Neha et al., and others suggests that knowing one’s learning style can improve academic performance (10). Learning ceases to be a burden when new information is delivered in a way that aligns with students' preferred learning styles. When learning is enjoyable, it naturally enhances performance in examinations. Therefore, it is the teacher’s responsibility to identify and adapt to the diverse learning preferences of students, rather than expecting students to adjust to the teacher’s methods. According to Fleming et al., teachers should use different teaching techniques to give all students the best chance to succeed.

The present study population data shows that kinesthetic style is preferred the most by undergraduate students at 32% followed by auditory style at 30%. In this, Male students (n=55) preferred auditory style the most with 32% followed by kinesthetic style with 29%. This shows that males are aural learners meaning they prefer listening to lessons and discussions rather than writing notes. They focus on what teachers say and often discuss topics with classmates after class to clarify their understanding. According to Drago and Wagner et al., noise can easily distract them, but they remember information by reading aloud, listening to recordings, or teaching others (11). Armstrong et al. note that these students excel in language-related activities, like storytelling, writing poetry, and learning new languages quickly (12).

On the other hand, Female students (n=89) preferred the Kinesthetic style the most at 34% followed by the auditory style at 29%. Which shows that females are kinesthetic learners. Armstrong describes kinesthetic learners as physically active and quick to learn physical skills (12). These students like to think while moving, excel in sports, and use movement to help them remember things. They have good coordination, and a strong sense of rhythm, and often find it easy to relax. Wolfman and Bates et al. found that kinesthetic learning increases students' motivation (13). Similarly, piping showed that using VARK learning styles improves understanding and boosts students' interest in learning (14). Kinesthetic learners learn best through experience and practice. They combine senses like touch, movement, and physical interaction to grasp concepts (15). Drago and Wagner describe them as energetic learners who focus on hands-on activities and physical experiences to understand lessons (16).

Though there are differences in the ranking of learning preferences between male and female students (with males slightly favouring auditory and females favouring kinesthetic), the differences are relatively small and may not be substantial enough to broadly categorize them as a clear gender-based trend in VARK learning styles. Thus, we can say there is a gender difference in the preference for learning styles (with males preferring auditory slightly more, and females preferring kinesthetic slightly more), but it’s not a very large or definitive difference. This data shows more of a preference variation within each gender group rather than a universal or significant gender-based pattern.

Based on current study data, male and female students prefer a multimodal style which is to have more than one style, specifically trimodal style. Quadmodal and trimodal are the most preferred modalities by undergraduate students with 32% followed by bimodal and unimodal with 28% and 8% preference respectively. Quadmodal is the most preferred modality by male students with 36% followed by trimodal, bimodal and unimodal with 35%, 22% and 7% preference respectively. Bimodal is the most preferred modality by female students with 33% followed by trimodal, quadmodal, and unimodal with 30%, 29% and 8% preference respectively. While the data does show some trends in the preferred learning modalities between male and female students (such as the higher preference for quadmodal in males and bimodal in females), it doesn’t conclusively prove that there is a gender-based difference in learning styles. The preference for multimodal learning could be influenced by factors other than gender, such as individual learning needs, course content, or teaching methods.

Literature explores gender differences in learning styles (17,18). Males and females tend to have distinct preferences in how they engage with learning material. Males often favour logical evaluation and reasoning, while females are more likely to use elaborative processing, seeking personal relevance or connections to the content. In terms of motivation, males are generally more achievement-oriented, whereas females tend to be more socially and performance-driven. Additionally, females place higher importance on social interactions with peers when it comes to learning. Moreover, males often attribute their success to external factors, such as teaching quality, while females are more likely to link their success to their efforts in the classroom. This suggests that males tend to be more externally focused, while females are more introspective and self-reflective. It is crucial to note that these findings do not imply any inherent differences in aptitude between genders, nor do they support the idea of gender-segregated learning environments (e.g., separate classes for males and females). Instead, this study emphasizes that males and females simply have different learning style preferences. To say there is a clear and significant gender difference in VARK learning styles, further research with a larger sample size and additional factors would be required. Gender differences in learning styles might also be influenced by cultural, social, or educational factors rather than being strictly biological.

The present study highlighted a wide diversity in learning style preferences among undergraduate students, with no major gender differences. A majority of students preferred multimodal instruction, with 32% favouring quadmodal and trimodal modes of learning. Additionally, nearly 28% preferred a bimodal approach. Kinesthetic learning was the most popular unimodal style among females and auditory learning was the most popular unimodal style among males. Our preliminary data reveal a diverse range of learning styles among undergraduate students, highlighting that the standard lecture format does not address the needs of all learners. Notably, the study found no significant gender differences in VARK learning styles or modalities.

1. Bergmann C, Muth T, Loerbroks A. Medical students’ perceptions of stress due to academic studies and its interrelationships with other domains of life: a qualitative study. Med Educ Online. 2019 Apr 22;24(1):1603526.
2. Hawkar Akram Awla. Learning Styles and Their Relation to Teaching Styles. International Journal of Language and Linguistics.2014:2(3). doi:10.11648/j.ijll.20140203.23.
3. Romanelli F, Bird E, Ryan M. Learning Styles: A Review of Theory, Application, and Best Practices. Am J Pharm Educ. 2009 Feb 19;73(1):09.
4. Fahim A, Rehman S, Fayyaz F, Javed M, Alam MA, Rana S, et al. Identification of Preferred Learning Style of Medical and Dental Students Using VARK Questionnaire. BioMed Research International. 2021;2021(1):4355158.
5. Peyman H, Sadeghifar J, Khajavikhan J, Yasemi M, Rasool M, Yaghoubi YM, et al. Using VARK Approach for Assessing Preferred Learning Styles of First Year Medical Sciences Students: A Survey from Iran. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014 Aug;8(8): GC01–4.
6. Fitkov-Norris ED, Yeghiazarian A. Validation of VARK learning modalities questionnaire using Rasch analysis. J Phys: Conf Ser. 2015 Feb;588(1):012048.
7. Omar, M. M. Mohamad, and A. N. Paimin. Dimension of Learning Styles and Students’ Academic Achievement. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2015 Aug (204): 172-182.
8. A. Kolb. Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development. Prentice Hall. 1984.
9. D. Fleming. I’m different; not dumb. Modes of presentation (VARK) in the tertiary classroom. In Research and Development in Higher Education, Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Higher Education and Research Development Society of Australasia. 1995.
10. B. J. Neha S Kulkarni, P.A. Patil. Learning Styles Preferences of First Year Medical Students of J N Medical College Belgaum: A Single Institute Experience in Karnataka, India. National Journal of Integrated Research in Medicine. 2015: 80-83.
11. Drago, W. A., & Wagner, R. J. VARK preferred learning styles and online education. Management Research News. 2004:27(7); 1-13.
12. Armstrong, A. M. Instructional Design in the Real World: A View from the Trenches. United States: Information Science Publishing. 2004.
13. Wolfman, S. A., & Bates, R. A. Kinesthetic learning in the classroom. CCSC. 2005: 203-206.
14. Piping, S. Penerapan teori multiple intelligence dalam pembelajaran. Jurnal Pendidikan Penabur. 2005: 4 (5).
15. Murphy, R. J., Gray, S. A., Straja, S. R., & Bogert, M. C. Student learning preferences and teaching implications. : Educational methodologies. Journal of Dental Education. 2004:68 (8); 859-866.
16. Miller, P. Learning styles: the multimedia of the mind. 2001: ED 451340.
17. Choudhary R, Dullo P, Tandon R. Gender Differences In Learning Style Preferences Of First Year Medical Students. 2011.
18. Yemane Y, Ambaye E, Alehegn A,. Assessment of Gender Difference on Learning Styles Preferences among Regular Undergraduate Students of Mekelle University College of Health Science. Journal of Stem cell biology and transplantation. 2017.