How much time do internal medicine residents spend on self-directed learning and on which resources: a multi-center...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Internal Medicine Residency Training
• Self-Directed Learning (SDL)

Background:

• Medical residents face increasing clinical demands and evolving learning methods.
• Understanding self-directed learning (SDL) patterns is crucial for effective medical education.
• Current literature lacks comprehensive data on resident SDL engagement and resource utilization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine self-directed learning (SDL) patterns among internal medicine residents.
• To assess resident attitudes and behaviors towards various learning resources.
• To evaluate the influence of the clinical learning environment (CLE) on SDL time and resource choice.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study utilizing a systematic questionnaire distributed to internal medicine residents across 10 US programs.
• Data collected on weekly SDL hours, preferred resources, and perceived resource usefulness.
• Analysis included the impact of training level, program type, rotation, and clinical hours on SDL.

Main Results:

• Residents reported a mean of 18.2 hours per week dedicated to SDL.
• Community-based programs showed higher SDL hours compared to others.
• Senior residents favored digital resources (e.g., podcasts) over traditional ones (e.g., textbooks).

Conclusions:

• Internal medicine residents invest substantial time in self-directed learning.
• Educational institutions and healthcare systems must collaborate to optimize the clinical learning environment for resident SDL.
• Shifting preferences towards digital resources among senior residents warrant attention in curriculum development.