Implementation of Self-Directed Learning in Physiology for Phase 1 Undergraduate Medical Students

Background One of the primary roles played by Indian medical graduates is that of a lifelong learner. To this end, students must acquire the habit of self-directed learning (SDL). Lack of SDL skills among undergraduate medical students is a concern; hence, this study was designed to introduce SDL in physiology to phase 1 undergraduate medical students and assess its effectiveness through student and faculty perceptions. Methods The project commenced after obtaining clearance from the institutional ethics committee. The faculty members and students were sensitized on SDL. A feedback questionnaire was framed and the topics for SDL were selected. SDL was implemented for six topics. The effectiveness of the sessions was evaluated by administering the feedback questionnaire to the students and recording perceptions of the students and faculty on SDL. The data were subjected to quantitative and qualitative analysis. Results A total of 96 phase 1 students participated in the study. A majority of the students felt that after SDL sessions, they were more prepared and aware of their learning strengths and had started taking ownership of their learning. However, some students felt that the activity was not useful in improving their analytical skills. Both the students and the faculty were fairly satisfied with this teaching learning innovation. Conclusions SDL was successfully implemented for phase 1 medical students. Both the students and faculty were satisfied with the SDL strategy. SDL has been shown to make students independent learners who are aware of their learning goals and capable of evaluating their learning.