A comparison of medical students' learning approaches between the first and fourth years

We hypothesized that medical students exposed to a case-based curriculum in years 1 and 2 and clinical cases in the year 3 clerkship would demonstrate a longitudinal increase in the deep approach to learning and a decrease in the surface apathetic approach.

A cohort of first-year medical students completed the Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students at the beginning of their first term and again at the beginning of their fourth year. Approaches and Study Skills Inventory for Students scores were aggregated into three main learning approach scales: deep, strategic, and surface apathetic.

On average, deep and strategic scores did not significantly change between years 1 and 4, but the surface apathetic mean score decreased as a result of lower syllabus boundness and fear of failure subscale scores. Effect sizes were small (d = 0.30, 0.34, respectively).

The deep approach to learning is a complex process and did not change in our students after 3 years of medical school, even though a case-based curriculum was believed to foster deeper learning. By the end of year 3, our students were, on average, less bound to syllabi and feared failure less.