Introduction

Various investigations have shown that cognitive flexibility predicts the academic performance of preschool and school children, but only a few of them have shown the participation of cognitive flexibility in the academic performance of university students.

Objective

To analyze the association between cognitive flexibility and academic performance of first-year medical students; in addition to some socioeconomic background that influences cognitive development and academic performance.

Method

In a sample of 406 first-year medical students, we evaluated cognitive flexibility (with the WisConPC computer program) and socioeconomic background as factors associated with the academic performance of medical students with multiple linear regression analysis.

Results

Indicated that cognitive flexibility and sociocultural context are factors associated with general academic performance, particularly in biomedical subjects.

Conclusions

The findings of this study have implications for the teaching-learning process of biological and chemical sciences since teachers can promote cognitive flexibility using didactic strategies aimed at the development and use of mental operations that imply the formulation of inferences and the application of proportional, logical, and probabilistic reasoning, thus contributing to the construction and transformation of the students’ knowledge.