Challenges in Learning Procedural Skills: Student Perspectives and Lessons Learned for Curricular Design

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Development
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Foundational clinical procedural skills are crucial for physician competence.
• Medical students and interns often report low confidence and competence in these essential skills.
• Understanding student perspectives is vital for curriculum reform in procedural skills training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore medical students' experiences and perspectives on learning clinical procedural skills.
• To identify barriers, motivators, and suggestions for improving procedural skills acquisition.
• To inform curriculum development and pedagogical approaches in medical education.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study employing semi-structured focus group discussions.
• Purposive sampling of 52 third, fourth, and final-year medical students.
• Inductive content analysis of transcribed focus group data.

Main Results:

• Students identified barriers related to patient and clinician interactions, and reluctance to advocate for their own learning needs.
• Key motivators included the desire for intern competence, empathy for interns, and visualizing a successful internship.
• Suggestions for improvement focused on peer learning, enhanced teaching, assessments, and feedback.

Conclusions:

• Student perspectives offer valuable insights for reflecting on and reforming procedural skills curricula.
• Medical educators should address student viewpoints and foster self-advocacy and self-directed learning skills.
• A learner-centered approach to procedural skills education can benefit future clinicians and patient care.