Autonomy-Supportive Medical Education

Baldwin, Constance D.; Craig, Mark S.; Garfunkel, Lynn C.; Harris, J. Peter; Shone, Laura P.; Biondi, Eric; Cellini, Melissa M.; Varade, William S.

doi:10.1097/acm.0b013e31826cdc3f

Cited by 26 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…Accordingly, it is well established from studies in the SDT literature, that the learning environment (curricular structures and teacher interactions that students are exposed to) in education can affect both the type and degree of motivation that students adopt, as well as their persistence and mental health [12, 13]. Although the broader motivation literature would tell us that the learning environment plays a key role in student motivation and well-being [12, 14, 15], it has scarcely been explored in the context of undergraduate medical school. We therefore consider SDT a well-fitting theoretical framework for the present study.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the relationship between medical student basic psychological need satisfaction, resilience, and well-being: a quantitative study

Neufeld

Malin

2019

BMC Med Educ

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BackgroundThere is increasing acknowledgment that medical training is stressful for students and can impact their well-being. An important aspect of this is self-determination and basic psychological need satisfaction. A better understanding of how medical student perceptions of the learning environment impacts their basic psychological needs for motivation, resilience, and well-being may help to create learning environments that support the needs of medical students and help them become better healthier physicians. We aim to add to the literature on this topic by examining this relationship through the lens of Self-Determination Theory.MethodsA total of 400 students from all 4 years of the medical program at our institution were invited to complete an anonymous online survey, measuring basic need satisfaction/frustration (autonomy, competence, relatedness) within the learning environment, resilience, and psychological well-being. We used analysis of variance to assess the effect of gender, age, and year on all variables, with t-tests to compare subgroups. Structural equation modelling was performed to test a hypothesized model in which support of medical students’ basic needs would positively relate to their resilience and well-being.ResultsThe response rate was 183/400 (46%). After data cleaning, 160 remained: 67 males (42%) and 93 females (58%). There were 67 first years (42%), 35 second years (22%), 30 third years (19%), and 28 fourth years (18%). The sample mean age was 25.8 years (SD = 4.1). A well-fitting model was confirmed to fit the data, χ2 = 3.15, df = 3, p = 0.369, RMSEA = 0.018, SRMR = 0.022, CFI = 0.999. Autonomy and relatedness satisfaction exerted direct effects on well-being. Competence satisfaction did so indirectly, through its direct effect on resilience. Female medical students had lower resilience scores compared to their male peers.ConclusionsWhen medical students perceived their learning environment as supportive to their basic needs, it was associated with an increase in their psychological well-being. Satisfaction of competence, but not autonomy or relatedness, predicted an increase in their resilience. Fostering medical students’ basic needs for motivation, especially competence, is recommended to support their resilience and well-being. Further research is required to generalize these results further.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Exploring the relationship between medical student basic psychological need satisfaction, resilience, and well-being: a quantitative study

Neufeld

Malin

2019

BMC Med Educ

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“…Medical students have also been shown to choose specialties in which they had autonomy-supportive teachers ( 5 ). The concept of autonomy support is slowly gaining awareness in medical education ( 6 , 7 ).…”

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confidence: 99%

Autonomy support for autonomous motivation in medical education

Kusurkar

Croiset

2015

Medical Education Online

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BackgroundMedical students often study only to fare well in their examinations or pursue a specific specialty, or study only those topics that they perceive to be useful in medical practice. The motivation for study in these cases comes from external or internal pressures or from the desire to obtain rewards. Self-determination theory (SDT) classifies this type of motivation as controlled motivation and the type of motivation that comes from genuine interest or personal value as autonomous motivation. Autonomous motivation, in comparison with controlled motivation, has been associated with better learning, academic success, and less exhaustion. SDT endorses autonomous motivation and suggests that autonomy support is important for autonomous motivation. The meaning of autonomy is misinterpreted by many. This article tries to focus on how to be autonomy-supportive in medical education.DiscussionAutonomy support refers to the perception of choice in learning. Some of the ways of supporting autonomy in medical education are small group teaching, problem-based learning, and gradual increase in responsibility of patients. Autonomy-supportive teaching behavior is not a trait and can be learned. Autonomy support in medical education is not limited to bringing in changes in the medical curriculum for students; it is about an overall change in the way of thinking and working in medical schools that foster autonomy among those involved in education. Research into autonomy in medical education is limited. Some topics that need to be investigated are the ideas and perceptions of students and teachers about autonomy in learning.ConclusionAutonomy support in medical education can enhance autonomous motivation of students for medical study and practice and make them autonomy-supportive in their future medical practice and teaching.

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“…We found differences between mentors and protégés in their perceptions of mentoring behaviors and experiences, as have others ( Baldwin et al. , 2012 ; Rosenthal et al.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

“…This support is of particular importance to women and underrepresented minorities in biomedical, health science, and behavioral science disciplines at all stages of their careers. Mentors facilitate acculturation into a discipline in a process that typically involves helping a protégé to develop a professional identity and network ( Kram and Ragins, 2007 ; Faupel-Badger et al. , 2015 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%