Trustingly bewildered. How first-year medical students make sense of their learning experience in a traditional, preclinical curriculum
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15328537 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Edvin Schei (0000-0002-7826-4124, University of Bergen, corresponding author), Ruth E Johnsrud (University of Bergen), Thomas Mildestvedt (0000-0001-7879-7513, University of Bergen), Reidar Pedersen (University of Oslo), Stefán Hjörleifsson (0000-0002-5936-0161, University of Bergen) |
| Year | 2018 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 1500344-1500344 |
| Publication date | 2018-01-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Medical Education Online (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1087-2981 • E-ISSN: 1087-2981 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/10872981.2018.1500344 |
| OpenAlex | W2886081963 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 44 |
Background: Traditional preclinical curricula based on memorization of scientific facts constitute learning environments which may negatively influence both factual understanding and professional identity development in medical students. Little is known of how students themselves experience and interpret such educational milieus.Objective: To investigate first-year medical students’ view of the physician role, and their perception of the relevance and quality of teaching in a science-based preclinical curriculum.Design: Focus group interviews with thematic text analysis.Results: Students portrayed the good physician as communicative, humble, and open, combining biomedical knowledge and moral strength. When asked how medical school supported the development of such characteristics, two partly contradictory discourses emerged. The critical discourse identified decontextualized knowledge, poor pedagogy, lack of critical thinking, and contact with faculty. Students who voiced critical comments also articulated trust that the system would provide the competence they needed, that basic biological knowledge is needed before clinical practice, and that being on your own conveys freedom and responsibility, and helps you grow up.Conclusion: Trust in the educational system, within a substandard learning environment, created cognitive dissonance that students resolved through rationalization, whereby they negated that factual overload and lack of relevance, reflection, and personal feedback was problematic. The cost of this mechanism is possibly that inferior teaching is perceived as normal, necessary, and good enough. If so, these future physicians’ ability to critically evaluate and create quality in medical education and practice, may be weakened
Cognitive dissonance · Competence (human resources · Critical thinking · Curriculum · Mathematics education · Medical education · Memorization · Pedagogy · Qualitative research · Sociology · Thematic analysis · Clinical Reasoning and Diagnostic Skills · Empathy and Medical Education · Innovations in Medical Education · Medicine · Psychology · Social Psychology
Making Doctors
A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
Communities of Practice
Beyond curriculum reform
The formation of professional identity in medical students
A Schematic Representation of the Professional Identity Formation and Socialization of Medical Students and Residents
Transformational Teaching
Identity, identification and medical education
Medical error—the third leading cause of death in the US
A narrative review on burnout experienced by medical students and residents
Prevalence of Depression, Depressive Symptoms, and Suicidal Ideation Among Medical Students
Health professionals for a new century
The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life
A Theory of Cognitive Dissonance
Medical Student Burnout
Bourdieu’s collective enterprise of inculcation
Sample Size in Qualitative Interview Studies
Training for certainty
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 0,4 |
| Citation span | 2021 - 2024 (4) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |