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Submited on: 13 Dec 2010 03:08:41 AM GMT
Published on: 13 Dec 2010 03:04:26 PM GMT
- Other Comments: The authors approach a vital ingredient of the success of any program of 'life-long learning' as is medical education, in the analysis of motivation. As described in this article there is little robust translational research in this area. Yet when the strictly regulated and continually assessed forum of undergraduate medical education is crossed and the learner enters the continued learning environment, we see the results of these intrinsic versus extrinsic motivation. In my experience in trying to deliver continued learning amongst junior or trainee doctors while balancing the need for a tough service / health care delivery environment shows that engagement with CPD is self-selecting and based on intrinsic motivation; as regulation or threats have little effect. Thus in order to delver an engaging curriculum and foster continued learning, educators and learning facilitators have to concentrate in assessing the individual agenda of the adult learner and endeavour to provide knowledge and guidance in a format which acknowledges the advanced learner and provides tips on self-directed learning. Didactic or traditional modes of knowledge delivery are often poorly taken up volitionally. I agree with the authors that more research is needed in determining which modes of delivery and engagement with the learning environment might enrich or awaken the intrinsic motivation in individuals and focus is specially needed on individuals who may have a history of disengagement with the education environment. Often, a didactic and regulated environment is hardly more than a futile exercise in itself with little gain for the individual, institution or society.
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Continued Medical Education - How to cite: Chakravorty I .Motivation in Medical Education[Review of the article 'Motivation In Medical Education: A Systematic Review ' by Howes D].WebmedCentral 2011;1(12):WMCRW00247
This systematic review effectively summarizes the relevant literature on motivation in medical education. The main thrust of the article is that an ideal medical school curriculum should be based on an understanding of student motivation, and through facilitation of student autonomy, sense of competence and need for relatedness, foster internally motivated medical students. The article does not break new ground, but originality of contribution comes from the fact that there appear to be very few summary articles/systematic reviews of the literature on this topic.
However, it is the practical implementation of the ideas focused on the developing such a curriculum that is the most substantial challenge. As stated in the article, this topic is complex and certainly required more research. Although not necessarily within its defined scope, the current paper's utility would be enhanced by commenting on any work that has been done to this end. Another suggestion to improve the generalizability of the article would be to add some further discussion of work done in other areas of (non-medical) education on the topic of student motivation. The references section could be expanded to more comprehensively survey of this literature.
Comments related to diction have been sent directly to the author. There were no major problems identified, but some inconsistencies in narrative voice and grammatical errors should be corrected.
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Resident Education Committee