Balancing Academics and Life: Qualitative Study of Health Professions Students' Perceptions of a Four-Day Academic Week in the United Arab Emirates.

Background: Since January 2022, Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates has implemented the 4-day work week model for the first time in the public and private sectors, including universities. While this framework may enhance productivity and work-life balance for many professionals, the current study specifically explores the perceptions of students in medicine, dentistry, and health sciences programs regarding the impact of transitioning from a 5-day to a 4-day work week on their academic performance. Objective: The objective of this study was to explore and analyze the perceptions of students in medicine, dentistry, and health sciences regarding the implementation of a 4-day academic week in the Emirate of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates. Methods: Twenty-four university students (mean age 20.95, SD 1.30 years; 12 men) studying in medicine, dentistry, physiotherapy, nursing, or medical diagnostic imaging programs, who experienced a transition from a 5-day week to a 4-day week, participated in semistructured interviews lasting approximately 20-30 minutes. All interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The Braun and Clarke 6-phase framework of thematic analysis was used. Results: We identified 5 themes: academic journey, academic work-life balance, support systems, classroom dynamics, and common stressors of the 4-day academic week. Overall, most students reported increased motivation, engagement, and academic achievement following the transition from a 5-day to a 4-day week. In addition, participants described a positive academic work-life balance, improved physical and mental well-being, optimal use of time for both academic and personal commitments, favorable support from faculty and family members, and maintained or even improved attendance levels. Nevertheless, some students expressed concerns about condensed schedules and longer days, increased stress, disrupted work-life balance, and inadequate support systems to cope with this new framework. Conclusions: Overall, the 4-day academic week enhanced motivation, academic performance, work-life balance, and the physical and mental well-being of medicine, dental, and health science students. However, some students experienced challenges related to condensed schedules and increased stress. These mixed outcomes highlight that while the 4-day work week offers notable advantages, careful planning and support are essential to mitigate the potential drawbacks and ensure all students can succeed within this new academic framework. Future research could explore strategies to address these challenges and further improve the 4-day week experience for all students.