Threshold concepts encountered by second year medical students in a Basic Health Science module; a qualitative study.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Basic Health Sciences
• Gastrointestinal Physiology

Background:

• Integrated modular curricula are increasingly used in health sciences.
• Identifying threshold concepts is crucial for effective learning.
• The gastrointestinal tract module presents specific learning challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore threshold concepts within a Basic Health Sciences gastrointestinal tract module.
• To identify specific areas of difficulty for students and faculty.

Main Methods:

• A qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with students and faculty.
• Thematic analysis of interview data to identify troublesome learning areas.
• Cross-referencing identified themes with threshold concept criteria.

Main Results:

• Eight troublesome areas were identified by students, including gastrointestinal tract development, anatomy, and histology.
• Only the development of the gastrointestinal tract met all criteria for a threshold concept.
• Faculty identified similar, though not identical, troublesome areas.

Conclusions:

• The development of the gastrointestinal tract is a threshold concept in this integrated module.
• Students' prior knowledge significantly impacts their ability to grasp module concepts.