Exploring the factors influencing clinical students' self-regulated learning

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Learning Environments
• Self-Regulated Learning (SRL)

Background:

• Self-regulated learning (SRL) is crucial in medical education, yet challenging to foster in practice settings.
• Understanding factors influencing SRL in clinical contexts is vital for effective training.
• This study addresses the gap in knowledge regarding medical students' SRL in clerkships.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify factors supporting or hindering medical students' self-regulated learning (SRL).
• To explore the influence of personal, contextual, and social attributes on SRL in a clinical setting.
• To inform strategies for enhancing SRL in medical training.

Main Methods:

• Constructivist grounded theory approach.
• Semi-structured interviews with 17 medical students during clerkships.
• Utilized the Day Reconstruction Method for detailed recall of daily activities.

Main Results:

• Medical students' SRL in clinical settings is influenced by perceived goals, autonomy, learning opportunities, and anticipated outcomes.
• These SRL factors are modulated by personal, contextual, and social attributes.
• Unique clinical factors include available facilities, patient roles, and social dynamics with peers and staff.

Conclusions:

• Individual medical students exhibit unique SRL patterns in clinical environments.
• Personal, social, and contextual factors significantly impact SRL, with some unique to clinical settings.
• Enhancing metacognitive awareness and providing tailored learning opportunities are key to supporting medical students' SRL.