Interventions Designed to Improve the Learning Environment in the Health Professions: A Scoping Review.

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Educational Psychology
• Organizational Behavior

Background:

• The learning environment (LE) is a dynamic construct influencing student satisfaction, well-being, and academic performance.
• A positive LE fosters learning and collaboration, while a negative LE can lead to burnout.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe interventions affecting the LE in health professions education.
• To summarize factors influencing the LE.
• To identify research gaps related to the LE.

Main Methods:

• A six-step scoping review methodology was employed.
• Literature was systematically identified, selected, and analyzed.
• 2,201 unique citations were initially reviewed, with 68 articles included in the final analysis.

Main Results:

• Interventions and influences on the LE were categorized across personal, social, organizational, physical, and virtual spaces.
• Major influences identified include accreditation, curriculum, faculty development, grading, instruction, placements, spaces, and support services.
• Four study types were identified: specific interventions, comparative perceptions, associations with other variables, and descriptive studies.

Conclusions:

• The complexity of the LE necessitates conceptual clarity for effective interventions.
• Identified influences represent potential opportunities for LE improvement in health professions education.
• Further research is needed, as the quality of evidence was not assessed.