Senior Student Goal Setting During Subinternship: A Mixed-Methods Study

Abstract

The overwhelming majority of senior medical student goals on a Pediatric Subinternship are general and related to patient care. Students may need assistance with developing more specific goals in all 6 competencies. Our findings suggest that understanding and incorporating students' learning goals may be important for enhancing the potential effectiveness of transition-to-residence curricula.

Tying knots: an activity theory analysis of student learning goals in clinical education

“…1 Although learners spontaneously generate informal learning goals, 2,3 emphasis on the importance of SRL in professional development has led to many formal written learning goal programmes in various education settings. [4][5][6][7][8][9] These programmes have had mixed success, [4][5][6][7][8][9] raising questions about how written learning goals are incorporated into clinical education practice and what factors influence their usefulness.…”

“…We investigated how written learning goals were incorporated into students’ and supervisors’ clinical work. Like many other learning goal programmes, the programme we investigated was developed to operationalise the social cognitive principles of SRL. However, as we analysed participants’ descriptions of the programme and how they used learning goals in their clinical work, we found that we needed a framework that more fully accounted for the material role of the written learning goals, as well as interpersonal and contextual dynamics.…”

“…Typically, learning goal programmes or individualised learning plans are examined in relation to how they help trainees develop into more self‐regulated lifelong learners, sometimes termed ‘master learners’ . Previous analyses of SRL have shown that the social environment provides important feedback and support for learners .…”

“…In one cyclical model of SRL, for example, learners: (i) develop goals; (ii) monitor their performance; (iii) reflect on how outcomes align with their goals, and (iv) determine how old goals should be modified and new ones created as the cycle begins again . Although learners spontaneously generate informal learning goals, emphasis on the importance of SRL in professional development has led to many formal written learning goal programmes in various education settings . These programmes have had mixed success, raising questions about how written learning goals are incorporated into clinical education practice and what factors influence their usefulness.…”

Neurology clerkship goals and their effect on learning and satisfaction

“…[6][7][8][9][10][11] Two studies evaluating goal setting in senior medical students demonstrated the importance of more specific as opposed to general goals. 12,13 In medical residents, factors associated with goal attainment have included an individualized learning plan, 7 resident reflection, 10 coaching, 9 and types of goals set. 14 Despite this existing literature, few studies have focused specifically on goal setting in the clinical clerkship or in…”