Date Posted: June 11, 2026

Author/s: Lea Galia, MD, Angelika Acabado, Rischthelle Aton, Arvin Agura, Archie Amoguis, Von Bautista, Bas Brink, Azel Bulalas, Daniel Caballero, Amiel Capacio, Benjo Catibayan, Janine Crisostomo, Carlamaine De Leon, Brian Dy, Marie Ferrer, Jannah Gacos, Victoria Gonzales, Rhea Malapit, Mariel Labrador, Benedict Logmao

Background: Medical students hold mixed perceptions of blended learning (BL), with some favoring it while others prefer face-to-face instruction according to several  studies. Gaps exist in understanding students’ preferences for specific parameters of BL implementation, including the blend of online and face-to-face modes among others.

Objective: This study at Far Eastern University-Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation (FEU-NRMF) aimed to determine medical students’ perceptions of blended learning, assessing its feasibility, their learning preferences, and overall perception of the  blended learning process. These are valuable to enhance educational institutions’ understanding of their students in implementing blended learning optimized for their learning.

Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study surveyed 235 medical students online using a modification and combination of the survey questionnaires of Singh, H. et al. and Shantakumari and Sajith. It assessed their demographics, feasibility of online classes, preferences for blended learning, and perceptions of the blended learning process using frequency distribution statistics.

Results: Students generally reported having satisfactory conditions for remote learning, such as with their devices, internet, and study spaces. Connectivity issues were rare, with occasional audio/video problems. The majority are in favor of blended learning finding it encouraging, less stressful, and promoting deeper interest in subjects, but expressed limitations on personal interaction. Students generally prefer 1–2-hour classes with a daily limit of 4-6 hours and with 30–60-minute breaks between classes. Students also prefer didactic lectures, practical demonstrations, laboratory classes, uploading presentations in advance, and sharing of recorded lectures more often (≥50% of the time), while small group discussions (SGDs) and preceptorials, theoretical quizzes, practical exams, and return demonstrations, reading assignments, manuals, taking Moodle online quizzes onsite only sometimes (<50% of the time), but playing of recorded video lectures in F2F classes were preferred not at all. Students generally favor F2F or an equal mix of online and F2F modes for various teaching methods.

Conclusion: This study found that medical students are well-prepared for online blended learning and are in favor of its implementation in their medical courses. The authors extensively detailed student preferences to aid in designing blended learning strategies. The findings offer valuable insights into medical students’ preferred blended learning approaches, serving as a reference for educational institutions to enhance student learning experiences.

Keywords:
Hybrid learning, traditional classroom, student perception