Evaluation of Combined Educational Methods on Motivational Interviewing for Final-Year Medical Students: Mixed...

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Behavior Change
• Communication Skills Training

Background:

• Motivational interviewing (MI) is crucial for health behavior change but inconsistently integrated into medical curricula.
• Evidence for combined learning models (face-to-face and web-based) in MI training for medical students, especially in Asia, is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a combined MI educational model's impact on final-year medical students' knowledge, confidence, and application during clinical rotations.
• To assess the effectiveness of a blended learning approach for MI training in an Asian medical context.

Main Methods:

• Sequential explanatory mixed methods design with a before-and-after quantitative study.
• Quantitative data collected via pre- and post-intervention questionnaires (n=120) and learning analytics.
• Qualitative data gathered through semistructured interviews (n=12) to explore application experiences.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in MI knowledge (P<.001) and confidence post-intervention.
• High reported application of MI in patient encounters (96.9%) and satisfaction with the combined approach (92.3%).
• Students frequently used brief MI for chronic disease management; challenges included time constraints and complex cases.

Conclusions:

• A combined MI learning approach enhances student knowledge, confidence, and clinical application.
• MI is perceived as practical for patient engagement in chronic disease management.
• Longitudinal, spiral curriculum integration with practice opportunities can strengthen MI competencies in medical education.