Growth Mindset Drives Clinical Reasoning: New Evidence from Pharmacy Experiential Education to Inform Future Curricula

Explore the correlation between growth mindset and clinical reasoning (CR) among student pharmacists in experiential education.

The Mindset Indicator Scale (MIND Scale) was developed from growth mindset theory and adapted to pharmacy education. A Script Concordance Test (SCT) was developed to measure student pharmacist CR skills. The MIND Scale and SCT were administered via one survey to measure growth mindset and CR among students enrolled in medication therapy management rotations across three U.S. pharmacy institutions. Survey data was analyzed using Spearman correlation, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Fisher's exact tests. Spearman's correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between mindset and SCT scores.

A total of 170 students completed the final survey between April and November 2023. There was an observed positive correlation between mindset and SCT CR scores.

This study revealed there is a positive correlation between growth mindset and CR skills among student pharmacists in experiential education through use of a novel validated instrument for measuring and assessing mindset. A growth mindset may help students develop CR skills and adapt in experiential education environments. As pharmacy education continues to emphasize CR and practice readiness, fostering a growth mindset may serve as a powerful lever to support both student development and practice outcomes. Future research includes evaluating the impact of mindset-informed instructional strategies and expanding the study to other populations, including post-graduate learners and other health professions education and practice settings.