Implementing a Curricular Model for Structured Reflection in a Neurology Clinical Clerkship

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Qualitative Research
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Medical students encounter social, ethical, and systemic challenges during clinical rotations.
• Formal reflection opportunities are often lacking for these experiences.
• Structured reflective writing can foster critical thinking, empathy, and professional identity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the content and depth of medical student reflections on social aspects of care during a neurology clerkship.
• To evaluate the educational impact of a mandatory reflective writing assignment.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective qualitative analysis of 46 reflective logs from third-year medical students.
• Logs focused on bias, social determinants of health, healthcare inequities, system challenges, and quality improvement.
• Analysis included themes, emotional tone, professional development insights, and faculty feedback.

Main Results:

• Most logs (77.3%) addressed bias (gender, race); students also noted communication barriers and health inequities.
• Key emotional tones included frustration (69.6%) and empathy (21.7%).
• Reflections frequently demonstrated professional identity development (55%) and ethical reasoning (47.5%); faculty responses were supportive.

Conclusions:

• Medical students actively reflect on complex social issues encountered in clinical settings.
• Structured reflection provides insights into evolving perceptions of equitable care and promotes professional growth.
• Integrating reflective writing into curricula can improve students' ability to address bias and inequity.