Evaluation of foundational mathematics support for health sciences students

Abstract

Abstract Background University entrants have increasingly diverse academic backgrounds, creating a need for foundational mathematics support in health sciences programs. In medical technology and clinical engineering education, mathematical competence underpins subjects such as statistics, physics, and engineering, as well as clinically relevant quantitative tasks. This study evaluated a mathematics remedial education program for first-year undergraduate students in the Department of Medical Technology and Clinical Engineering and examined unit-specific learning gains. Methods Participants were first-year students in two academic years (2024: $$n = 28$$ ; 2025: $$n = 30$$ ). Pre- and post-tests covering fundamental mathematical topics were administered before and after the program. Differences in percentage scores were analyzed using paired t-tests, and effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d . Results Overall scores improved significantly in both academic years. In the pooled sample, the mean score increased from $$28.00 \pm 11.11$$ to $$61.36 \pm 18.89$$ (mean difference: 33.36 points, 95% CI: 29.06–37.66; $$p < 0.001$$ ; Cohen’s d = 2.04). Statistically significant improvements were observed in 10 of the 11 mathematical units, although the magnitude of improvement varied by unit. Conclusions Early foundational mathematics support was associated with improved test performance and may contribute to students’ academic readiness for quantitatively demanding health science coursework. Unit-specific evaluation may help identify areas requiring additional instructional support and inform the design of transition-stage learning support in health science education.