Changes in medical students' motivation and self-regulated learning: a preliminary study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology of Learning

Background:

• Motivation and Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) are crucial for academic success.
• Understanding changes in these constructs over time is vital for medical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the longitudinal changes in medical students' motivation and SRL.
• To explore the relationship between these changes and academic performance.

Main Methods:

• A cohort of 43 first-year medical students completed the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire (MSLQ).
• The MSLQ was re-administered to the same cohort at the beginning of their second year.
• Statistical analysis (Wilcoxon signed-rank test) was used to compare scores between years.

Main Results:

• Student motivation scores significantly increased from Year 1 to Year 2.
• Self-Regulated Learning (SRL) scores significantly decreased over the same period.
• Test anxiety increased, showing a shift from a positive to a negative association with cognitive strategies and self-regulation over time.

Conclusions:

• Despite increased motivation, medical students utilize fewer self-regulated learning strategies as they progress.
• The learning environment may contribute to increased test anxiety, hindering cognitive and meta-cognitive strategy use.
• Interventions to reduce test anxiety are recommended to support SRL in medical students.