RESUMEN
To identify the various learning styles adopted by the students of GMU and determine how these affect their preference of the various teaching-learning methods. A cross sectional study of 157 preclinical students of Gulf Medical University in Ajman, U.A.E. was performed. A standardized self-administered "VARK" [Visual, Aural, Read/write, Kinesthetic] questionnaire was used to determine the learning styles of participants. The preferred as well as alternative teaching-learning methods constituted the second part of the questionnaire. Approximately 53.5% of the participants were multi-modal learners. Kinesthetic learners were more prevalent in higher age groups [38.l%] and year 3 medical students [23.2%], while auditory learners were found mostly in lower age groups, year 1 [13.5%] and year 2 [20%]. 64 .5% of the participants preferred Clinical Skills making it the most preferred, while the least preferred was [Computer Assisted Learning] CAL with just 9.9% of the participants. 84 out of 157 learners were Multi-Modal, 54 of whom showed preference to Lectures and 49 to CBL/PBL/SDL [Case Based Learning, Problem Based Learning and Self Directed Learning]. Auditory learners also preferred Lectures, while self-directed learning methods were preferred by a significant number of kinesthetic learners. Especially Visual and Auditory learners least preferred CAL and Seminars. Most of the learners preferred Labs/Clinical skills for Normal and Abnormal Gross and Microscopic Structure. Around 50% of the participants preferred Lectures for the remaining content areas. Two-Thirds of the participants preferred studying alone, citing that they were able to maintain focus and operate at a preferred pace when they studied alone. The remainder, who preferred studying in a group stated motivation and assistance from fellow peers as their main reasons for this approach. The study concluded that students of all learning styles preferred lectures and did not prefer seminars and CALs generally. Most of the students had a multi-modal learning style. Further studies can be conducted to determine any other associations between learning styles and teaching-learning methods