FamuPlus - a pilot project to support self-oriented learning through self-created learning outcomes in clinical electives.

Abstract

Background: Clinical electives in German medical education provide valuable insights into healthcare practice but often lack structured learning guidance. The FamuPlus project was developed to support medical students in defining and pursuing self-created learning outcomes to foster self-oriented learning (SOL), which is recognized as a key competence for lifelong learning and professional development in medical practice. In this study, self-created learning outcomes describe a guided process.

Project description: Within FamuPlus, seven students completed a brief online training introducing the SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) framework and the learning domains of Bloom's taxonomy. Thereafter, participants formulated individual learning outcomes prior to their clinical elective and reviewed them with their clinical teachers (e.g. general practitioner or ward physician, etc.) at the beginning of their independently chosen, monthlong, clinical elective on site. Throughout the elective, students reflected on their progress using an online self-evaluation tool and engaged in guided follow-up discussions about their experiences. To evaluate the intervention, a control group was additionally surveyed at the end of the clinical elective.

Results and experiences: Students reported that defining their own learning outcomes improved focus, motivation, and perceived learning success it also seemed to promote self-efficacy during their electives. However, designing measurable learning outcomes was challenging.

Discussion and conclusion: FamuPlus appears to be a feasible approach to support medical students in strengthening SOL during clinical electives. Despite the small, potentially highly motivated cohort the findings suggest beneficial effects of FamuPlus on perceived learning success, motivation and focus. Refinement and broader implementation are warranted to strengthen learner-centred education in clinical electives. The low-threshold online format and minimal faculty workload make the approach transferable to other faculties. For widespread implementation, careful consideration should be given to the involvement of faculty staff, depending on the available resources as adequate infrastructure is essential for sustainable implementation.