Prompting medical students to self-assess their learning needs during the ageing and health module: a mixed methods study.

Prompting medical students to self-assess their learning needs during the ageing and health module: a mixed methods study. Med Educ Online. 2019 Dec;24(1):1579558 Authors: Kennedy G, Rea JNM, Rea IM Abstract Understanding our learning needs is fundamental for safe, effective and knowledge-based medical practice and facilitates life-long learning. A mixed methods study investigated fourth-year medical students' self-perceived understanding of their learning needs using 1] a visual scale, before and after a four-week module in Ageing and Health (A&H) and 2] through focus group discussions. During 2013-14 academic year, all students (252) were invited to use a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) tool to self-assess their learning needs that were linked to Ageing and Health curriculum learning outcomes. Assenting students (197 at pre-self-assessment, 201 at post-assessment) returned anonymous Visual Analogue Scales, self-assessing history-taking skills, examination skills, knowledge of medication use, co-morbidity, nutritional and swallowing assessment responses, before and after the A&H module. Three student focus groups explored whether completion of the VAS self-assessment had prompted improved self-awareness of their learning needs. The VAS responses increased for each curriculum domain with significant differences between the pre-and post responses - for the student-year-group. Nutritional and swallowing knowledge showed the greates...
Source: Medical Education Online - Category: Universities & Medical Training Tags: Med Educ Online Source Type: research