Make Them Stick: Effects of a Learning Skills Course on Study Habits and Academic Performance in a Traditional Preclinical Medical Curriculum

Abstract

Self-regulated learning (SRL) is a critical competency in medical education, enabling students to effectively manage their learning through goal setting, strategy use, monitoring, and reflection. Despite its importance, SRL skills are not widely applied by students, who often rely on passive learning. Evidence suggests that targeted interventions may enhance the use of effective learning strategies, but data from traditional medical education contexts remain limited. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods study was conducted at the University of Pécs Medical School to evaluate the impact of an elective learning skills course. A prospective cohort design was employed comparing preclinical medical and dentistry students who participated in the course with non-participants and was informed by Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model. Outcomes included procedural knowledge assessed through paired scenarios comparing more versus less effective strategies, self-reported use of SRL strategies and academic outcomes. The qualitative phase involved semi-structured interviews with intervention participants to explore their experiences and strategy use. The intervention was based on SRL theory and the Knowledge, Belief, Commitment, and Planning (KBCP) framework. Procedural knowledge gains were across all scenarios in the intervention group (all p.001). Within the intervention group (n = 36), the overall SRL score increased significantly from 3.42 to 3.70 (p .001). Improvements were observed across the main scales, including the Cognitive and Metacognitive Strategy Use scale (3.36 to 3.68, p .001), and Resource Management scale (3.41 to 3.73, p .001). The Motivation and Attitude scale increased from 3.54 to 3.65 in the intervention group, but this change was not statistically significant (p = .122). However, compared with the control group, where the overall SRL score significantly declined, the intervention group showed significant gains on all scales. Despite these behavioral improvements, academic outcomes did not differ between groups at the end of the semester. A structured learning skills course grounded in SRL theory can promote meaningful changes in students’ learning behaviors and support the adoption of effective study strategies in a traditional medical curriculum. The intervention demonstrated benefits in developing learning competencies essential for lifelong learning. These findings support the integration of SRL-focused instruction into traditional preclinical medical education.