Digital Learning in Motion: Exploring Mobile Device Use in Mexican Residents

Background Medical residents rely on mobile digital devices for point-of-care learning and communication. However, most guidance arises from high-income settings with reliable connectivity and clearer governance on the use of digital devices. In low- and middle-income contexts, intermittent access, out-of-pocket costs, and privacy gaps create distinct risks and opportunities. Understanding mobile device use is fundamental for designing curricula and educational policies. Objective To explore how Mexican medical residents perceive and use mobile devices to support their learning during clinical training. Methods An exploratory qualitative study, guided by the framework of self-regulated learning, was performed from February 2023 to January 2024 with 16 residents from 5 medical specialties in Mexico, an upper-middle-income country. Participants were recruited via convenience sampling from university-affiliated academic health centers in Mexico City. Data were collected using a semistructured interview guide and analyzed inductively using thematic analysis with constant comparison and axial coding. Results Thematic analysis of residents' accounts revealed 2 main domains: educational uses of mobile devices; and perceptions and challenges of use, which include professional ambiguity and social regulation, cognitive load and emotional strain, ethical and privacy dilemmas, and infrastructure limitations and digital equity. Mobile devices were considered essential tools for learning and self-directed education, though their use is limited by contextual and institutional constraints. Conclusions Residents reported using mobile digital devices primarily for clinical care information retrieval, procedure review, and self-directed study. Reported constraints included faculty expectations regarding device use, privacy and data-handling concerns, unequal access and costs, infrastructure limitations, and educational tensions in clinical learning environments.