A Systematic Review of Self-directed Learning in Medical Education in Undergraduate Medical Students

Self-directed learning (SDL), which emphasizes the need for students to take ownership of their learning, has become a crucial part of medical education. With the increasing complexity of health care, SDL is seen as a crucial skill for fostering lifelong learning and adapting to new challenges. This...

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Main Authors: Dharmendra Kumar Gupta, Arunima Chaudhuri, Dip Gaine
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2025-01-01
Series:Current Medical Issues
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/cmi.cmi_96_24
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author Dharmendra Kumar Gupta
Arunima Chaudhuri
Dip Gaine
author_facet Dharmendra Kumar Gupta
Arunima Chaudhuri
Dip Gaine
author_sort Dharmendra Kumar Gupta
collection DOAJ
description Self-directed learning (SDL), which emphasizes the need for students to take ownership of their learning, has become a crucial part of medical education. With the increasing complexity of health care, SDL is seen as a crucial skill for fostering lifelong learning and adapting to new challenges. This systematic review examines the current landscape of SDL in undergraduate medical education, exploring its effectiveness, implementation strategies, and areas for future development. A methodical exploration was carried out within the PubMed database to locate pertinent research articles released between 2012 and 2024. Studies that reported results pertaining to academic achievement, clinical competence, or student perspectives and that concentrated on SDL in undergraduate medical education were included. Two reviewers independently extracted the data, evaluated its quality, and synthesized the results thematically. In all, twenty-three papers were covered in this study. The findings indicate SDL positively impacts students’ academic performance and clinical skills, with many students reporting increased engagement and motivation. Effective implementation strategies included integrating SDL into the curriculum, providing faculty support, and utilizing digital tools to enhance learning. However, the review also identified significant heterogeneity in the definition and assessment of SDL across studies, as well as challenges related to student self-regulation and faculty preparedness. SDL is a useful method in medical education for undergraduates since it helps students become self-reflective, independent practitioners. To fully comprehend its long-term effects, however, longitudinal research, faculty development initiatives, and standardized SDL frameworks are required.
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spelling doaj-art-0008f784578140dbbf8af6541c069adc2025-02-10T14:49:42ZengWolters Kluwer Medknow PublicationsCurrent Medical Issues0973-46512666-40542025-01-01231616910.4103/cmi.cmi_96_24A Systematic Review of Self-directed Learning in Medical Education in Undergraduate Medical StudentsDharmendra Kumar GuptaArunima ChaudhuriDip GaineSelf-directed learning (SDL), which emphasizes the need for students to take ownership of their learning, has become a crucial part of medical education. With the increasing complexity of health care, SDL is seen as a crucial skill for fostering lifelong learning and adapting to new challenges. This systematic review examines the current landscape of SDL in undergraduate medical education, exploring its effectiveness, implementation strategies, and areas for future development. A methodical exploration was carried out within the PubMed database to locate pertinent research articles released between 2012 and 2024. Studies that reported results pertaining to academic achievement, clinical competence, or student perspectives and that concentrated on SDL in undergraduate medical education were included. Two reviewers independently extracted the data, evaluated its quality, and synthesized the results thematically. In all, twenty-three papers were covered in this study. The findings indicate SDL positively impacts students’ academic performance and clinical skills, with many students reporting increased engagement and motivation. Effective implementation strategies included integrating SDL into the curriculum, providing faculty support, and utilizing digital tools to enhance learning. However, the review also identified significant heterogeneity in the definition and assessment of SDL across studies, as well as challenges related to student self-regulation and faculty preparedness. SDL is a useful method in medical education for undergraduates since it helps students become self-reflective, independent practitioners. To fully comprehend its long-term effects, however, longitudinal research, faculty development initiatives, and standardized SDL frameworks are required.https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/cmi.cmi_96_24medical educationmentorself-directed learningundergraduate medical students
spellingShingle Dharmendra Kumar Gupta
Arunima Chaudhuri
Dip Gaine
A Systematic Review of Self-directed Learning in Medical Education in Undergraduate Medical Students
Current Medical Issues
medical education
mentor
self-directed learning
undergraduate medical students
title A Systematic Review of Self-directed Learning in Medical Education in Undergraduate Medical Students
title_full A Systematic Review of Self-directed Learning in Medical Education in Undergraduate Medical Students
title_fullStr A Systematic Review of Self-directed Learning in Medical Education in Undergraduate Medical Students
title_full_unstemmed A Systematic Review of Self-directed Learning in Medical Education in Undergraduate Medical Students
title_short A Systematic Review of Self-directed Learning in Medical Education in Undergraduate Medical Students
title_sort systematic review of self directed learning in medical education in undergraduate medical students
topic medical education
mentor
self-directed learning
undergraduate medical students
url https://journals.lww.com/10.4103/cmi.cmi_96_24
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