A study to observe the effectiveness of 10 days of Yoga program on reaction time and student’s perception of the introduction of Yoga training in the MBBS course curriculum

Abstract

Yoga was introduced to the MBBS curriculum on 12 June 2022. There is a need to obtain the perceptions of the students about this introduction of yoga training in their curriculum.The present study was undertaken to observe the effectiveness of 10 days of the Yoga program on reaction time and to obtain the perceptions of first-year MBBS students about the introduction of Yoga training in the MBBS course curriculum. A total of 150 first-year MBBS students studying at R.D. Gardi Medical College were part of the study after obtaining the voluntary, written, informed consent. Willing participants who practiced yoga for 10 days as per the protocol of NMC were recruited in the present study. The common protocol for Yoga was prepared by the Morarji Desai Institute of Yoga under the Ministry of Ayush. Auditory reaction time for high and low pitch sounds, and visual reaction time for red and green light were recorded using the RT apparatus for research manufactured by Anand Agencies, Pune. Both right-hand and left-hand responses were recorded. A standard questionnaire was used to record the perceptions of the students about the introduction of Yoga training in the MBBS course curriculum. Both auditory and visual reaction times were decreased followed by the yoga program. The majority of the students agreed that yoga offers multiple beneficial effects. The majority of the students agreed that yoga practice has many psychological benefits. The majority of the students agreed that the overall effect of yoga was much beneficial. The majority of the students reported that major barriers were lack of motivation and lack of time for yoga. The majority of students agreed positively that the inclusion of yoga in the curriculum was beneficial to them.The present study results explained that there was a decrease in the reaction time followed by yoga practice. The majority of students invited the move by the apex body incorporating Yoga in the curriculum.