A qualitative study exploring motivating factors for medical Students' involvement in extracurricular activities at Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

Abstract The data is scarce regarding the motivating factors in medical students that lead them to involvement in extracurricular activities and the role of medical student associations as a formal platform for student involvement in such activities. This qualitative study aimed to examine the role of the medical student association (MSA) at Alfaisal University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia by exploring student perspectives towards extracurricular activities and motivating and/or demotivating factors of students for involvement with MSA. We conducted a descriptive study employing focus group interviews as our main method of data collection. A total of four focus group interviews were conducted, using thematic framework analysis to analyse resultant data. Motivating factors underlying student reasoning for joining the MSA included wanting to improve self-esteem and/or CV/résumé, avoid burnout, gain social experiences, overcome shyness, adjust to the university environment, and increase accessibility to research opportunities. Skills gained included problem-solving, conflict resolution and communication skills, organizational planning and management skills, and peer mentorship. We conclude that the MSA appears to provide a positive opportunity to medical students to be part of various activities, creating a conducive environment for supporting overall well-being and potentially supporting adjusting to the university environment and facilitating the acquisition of various skills.