Graduate-entry medical students' self-directed learning capabilities in a problem-based curriculum

To explore junior and senior students' perceptions of their self-directed learning (SDL) capabilities in an innovative graduate-entry medical program and to determine the construct reliability of the survey instrument utilized.

A cross-sectional survey design in which a self-report questionnaire was administered to undergraduate medical students (n=43) of King Saud bin Abdul Aziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh in October 2008 and March 2009; soon after entry and in their year 3 of an integrated problem-based learning (PBL) program. The questionnaire sought self-assessment on 14 SDL capabilities.

Questionnaire construct reliability was high (Cronbach's alpha=0.945). Respondents had medium to high perceptions of their self-directed learning capabilities in areas that are among the main building-blocks of self-directed learning. In comparison to junior students, senior students had statistically significantly higher mean scores on 11 of 14 self-assessed SDL competencies (p<0.05).

Consistent with other studies of SDL in a graduate-entry PBL curriculum, most students perceived themselves as having moderate to high SDL capabilities. Knowledge of learners' perceived levels of self-directedness is helpful for both students and medical educators. By understanding learners' conceptions of their self-directed learning capabilities we can design evidence-based program modifications that are likely to promote intended curriculum objectives. Longitudinal studies are needed observing the application and stability of perceived capabilities.