Abstract:
Undergraduate study imposes rigorous study regimes, which may compromise engagement in
physical activities among students. This study compares physical fitness parameters between students
from medical and non-health-related programs. The VO 2 max, heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP)
were assessed in 80 men aged 18–25 years who performed the shuttle run test (SRT). HR and BP
were measured before and after the SRT; HR was also measured during the test. A t-test was
performed to compare the mean VO 2 max and baseline and recovery period measurements between
groups and by the year of study (first or fourth). Fourth-year medical students had a higher baseline
HR than those from other disciplines (p = 0.02). First-year medical students had a higher VO 2 max
than their fourth-year counterparts (p = 0.02). Medical students had a higher HR after the sixth (p =
0.02) and seventh (p = 0.03) minutes of the SRT. Further, the medical students had a higher diastolic
BP in the first (p = 0.03) and second (p = 0.02) minutes after exhaustion. Medical students have
poorer fitness levels than students from non-health-related disciplines. This is possibly because the
intense academic rigor prevents them from engaging in regular exercise.
