Creating transformational learning experiences for 21st century healthcare students through preclinical skills training at a South African university

van der Merwe, Ankevan Vuuren, Corlia Janse2024-10-152024-10-152024van der Merwe, A., & van Vuuren, C. J. (2024). Creating transformational learning experiences for 21st century healthcare students through preclinical skills training at a South African university. BMC Medical Education, 24(1), 198. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05177-91472-6920 (online)https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05177-9http://hdl.handle.net/11660/12782𝗕𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 Creating an inclusive interprofessional teaching and learning community can enhance student engagement and ultimately develop essential graduate attributes (GA) (also known as generic, transferable, core, soft, work-ready or nontechnical skills). The early practical development of GA within a diverse space is essential in health profession education, as students experience the transition to clinical training as challenging. 𝗔𝗶𝗺 This paper describes the conceptualization and implementation of an inclusive interprofessional curriculum focused on GA development in the preclinical years. 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗱𝘀 A phased multimethod research design was applied. Phase 1 focused on the conceptualization of a preclinical GA development curriculum through a consensus-seeking process among all staff in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences (N = 36). Subsequently, in Phase 2, quantitative and qualitative data were gathered from participating first-year students (N = 135) as an early curricular implementation review. Descriptive statistical analyses for quantitative and thematic analyses for qualitative data were performed. 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀 During Phase 1, five themes were identified (Ethics, Professionalism, General principles for interventions, Organizations and institutions, Management) informing preclinical curriculum development. Forty-one first-year students (30%) participated in Phase 2. The majority of participants (87%) indicated that they had a positive learning experience during Phase 2. Students expressed that engagement was encouraged (83%) within a space of mutual respect (83%), with interprofessional groups assisting in building “a trusting environment and a supportive one”. Students indicated they “liked that it [module] wasn’t just about one topic”, as it concretized that “there is more to being a healthcare professional that just treating people”. 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 GA development provides an invaluable opportunity for interprofessional engagement. Creating a diverse and inclusive curricular space through multimodal and interprofessional training, GA training was transformed to be more practical and future-focused, creating a positive learning experience. Future research should focus on the longer-term impact of this practical, preclinical GA development during the transition of these students into the clinical training space.enCreating transformational learning experiences for 21st century healthcare students through preclinical skills training at a South African universityArticleAuthor(s)https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/