Defining Learning Communities in Undergraduate Medical Education: A National Study

Abstract

Background:Learning communities (LCs) are intentionally designed groups that are actively engaged in learning with and from each other. While gaining prominence in US medical schools, LCs show significant variability in their characteristics across institutions, creating uncertainty about how best to measure their effects.Objective:The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of medical school LCs by primary purpose, structures, and processes and lay the groundwork for future outcome studies and benchmarking for best practices.Methods:Medical school LC directors from programs affiliated with the Learning Communities Institute (LCI) were sent an online survey of program demographics and activities, and asked to upload a program description or summary of the LC’s purpose, goals, and how it functions. Descriptive statistics were computed for survey responses and a qualitative content analysis was performed on program descriptions by 3 authors to identify and categorize emergent themes.Results:Of 28 medical school LCs surveyed, 96% (27) responded, and 25 (89%) provided program descriptions for qualitative content analysis. All programs reported longitudinal relationships between students and faculty. Most frequently cited objectives were advising or mentoring (100%), professional development (96%), courses (96%), social activities (85%), and wellness (82%). Primary purpose themes were supporting students’ professional development, fostering a sense of community, and creating a sense of wholeness. Structures included a community framework, subdivisions into smaller units, and governance by faculty and students. Process themes included longitudinal relationships, integrating faculty roles, and connecting students across class years.Conclusions:Medical school LCs represent a collection of high-impact educational practices characterized by community and small-group structures, relational continuity, and collaborative learning as a means to guide and holistically support students in their learning and development as physicians. In describing 27 medical school LCs, this study proposes a unifying framework to facilitate future educational outcomes studies across institutions.

Understanding the Sex-Based Professional Development Priorities of Medical Students: Results from a novel self-assessment survey tool

“…For example, learning communities, which randomly divide students into longitudinal mentorship groups across year, are widely prevalent across medical school campuses. Per a recent Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) survey conducted in 2014, 102 out of 140 responding AAMC schools reported organizing their students into formal "colleges or mentorship groups" (Shochet et al, 2019). Furthermore, these learning communities provide opportunities for advising and mentoring by cultivating long-term student-to-student and student-to-faculty relationships, building social networks, and organizing professional development activities (Shochet et al, 2019).…”

“…Per a recent Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) survey conducted in 2014, 102 out of 140 responding AAMC schools reported organizing their students into formal "colleges or mentorship groups" (Shochet et al, 2019). Furthermore, these learning communities provide opportunities for advising and mentoring by cultivating long-term student-to-student and student-to-faculty relationships, building social networks, and organizing professional development activities (Shochet et al, 2019). If survey results at other sites suggest resource sharing is in demand, learning communities may provide an appropriate venue.…”

“…"Imposter phenomena" may be a possible explanation for why women preferred additional skills training compared to their male counterparts. Imposter syndrome occurs when female professionals feel inadequate, unskilled, or incompetent despite having high success, high skills, or accomplishments (Fitzpatrick and Curran, 2014;Shochet et al, 2019;Villwock et al, 2016). More female physicians and female medical students experience an 'impostor phenomenon' when compared to their male colleagues (Fitzpatrick and Curran, 2014;Shochet et al, 2019;Villwock et al, 2016).…”

“…Imposter syndrome occurs when female professionals feel inadequate, unskilled, or incompetent despite having high success, high skills, or accomplishments (Fitzpatrick and Curran, 2014;Shochet et al, 2019;Villwock et al, 2016). More female physicians and female medical students experience an 'impostor phenomenon' when compared to their male colleagues (Fitzpatrick and Curran, 2014;Shochet et al, 2019;Villwock et al, 2016). The presence of gender bias or microaggressions in the workplace may additionally make females feel inadequate (Files et al, 2017).…”

Use of Mobile Technologies in Personal Learning Environments of Intercultural Contexts: Individual and Group Tasks

“…Learning communities are characterized by restructuring spaces, time and curricula into smaller cohort groups, in order to achieve greater coherence in learning and meaningful interaction among their members [52]. Therefore, students actively participate in learning [53]. Spending a large amount of time together [52] and becoming identified as members of the same structure, presents the following aspects: sense of belonging, sense of personal predominance, satisfaction of needs and integration, and emotional ties [54].…”