Harnessing Artificial Intelligence to Deliver Growth Mindset Education in a Pre-matriculation Curriculum for Incoming...

Growth mindset, the belief that intelligence and abilities can be developed through effort and strategy, underpins resilience and adaptive learning in the demanding context of medical education. Yet the intensity of medical curricula leaves little room for supplemental content, even when it addresses essential skills like resilience and adaptability. Emerging tools such as large language models (LLMs) now enable faculty to efficiently generate accessible, learner-centered educational materials that support scalable delivery of growth mindset content.

The objective of this study is to test the feasibility, engagement, and impact of "Mindset Mondays," a 10-week email and podcast curriculum for incoming medical students.

Medical students at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Tucson received weekly emails during the pre-matriculation period prior to the start of formal medical school. These emails featured thematic summaries of growth mindset concepts, key takeaways, quotes, and reflection prompts. Extended PDF summaries and 10-15 minute podcasts supplemented each email. Surveys assessed demographics, engagement, and retrospective pre/post growth mindset beliefs via Likert-based surveys.  Results: Of 94 respondents, 76.6% were first-generation students and 51.1% reported prior growth mindset exposure. Students engaged with an average of 4.05 emails (SD = 3.28), 2.60 PDFs (SD = 2.89), and 1.03 podcasts (SD = 2.19). Composite growth mindset scores improved significantly (Pre: M = 4.92, SD = 0.61; Post: M = 5.17, SD = 0.60; p < 0.001; Cohen's d_z = 0.71). Seven out of eight Likert items showed significant improvement (p < 0.05; effect sizes 0.32-0.46). Greater engagement was associated with greater improvement across all formats (r = .339-.399, p < .001).

Delivering growth mindset education through LLM-assisted emails and podcasts was feasible, scalable, and associated with small but significant self-reported growth mindset gains. Early, structured exposure to growth mindset principles may strengthen resilience, promote receptivity to feedback, and better prepare students for the demands of medical school.