Presenter:
Simone Dew
Authors:
Aman Atwal, Simone Dew, Erin Peebles
Poster Abstract:
At UBC academic half days (AHD) in pediatric clerkship featured didactic lectures with limited student interaction, leading to dissatisfaction among learners and faculty. To improve this, we created a new AHD curriculum based on self-determination theory (SDT). SDT highlights autonomy, competence, and relatedness as crucial for success in the learning environment. While SDT’s value in medical education is well-established, there is limited data on AHD curriculums modelled after it.
The novel AHD curriculum was introduced in the 2023/24 academic year. Didactic lectures were replaced with weekly themes and a “roadmap” of self-study resources to promote autonomy. Interactive case-based discussions were introduced to foster connectedness and competence. To evaluate SDT implementation in AHDs and perform ongoing quality improvement, students were surveyed using the Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction at Work Scale.
Of 62 students who completed the curriculum to date, 17 (27.4%) participated. Satisfaction levels were moderate in autonomy (4.75, SD 0.80) and relatedness (5.10, SD 0.69), but lower for competence (4.29, SD 0.97). Qualitative feedback from students was mixed with expressions of both discomfort with the independence and appreciation for the autonomy. No significant difference in average exam scores (73%, SD 7.25) was noted compared to the two previous academic years (74%, SD 6.91 and 72%, SD 7.25)
This study demonstrates the feasibility of applying SDT to medical in AHD curriculum. On a broader scale, it demonstrates that fostering intrinsic motivation in medical students can be achieved without compromising competency, using practical and deliberate curricular modifications.
