Identifying and articulating the student learning experience in the Medical curriculum Enrichment Year

Abstract

Background: The Enrichment Year (EY) is a new, mandatory, credit-bearing curriculum held in Year 3 of the six-year MBBS programme at the University of Hong Kong. Students have an opportunity for substantive engagement in a personal area of interest including (i) research; (ii) service/ humanitarian work; (iii) intercalation/ university exchange. This study aimed to explore the barriers, enablers, and overall student learning experiences from the first cohort of EY students (2018-19) to inform its future development. Summary of Work: Three focus group interviews were conducted (6-7 students per group). Students were purposively recruited based on their gender, area-of-interest representativeness, and financial and scholarship background to maximize diversity of opinions. Semi-structured interview guides were used. A conventional thematic analysis was employed. Summary of Results: Students perceived the EY as an opportunity to boost self-confidence, maturity and independence, transforming them into more mentally resilient individuals in confronting challenges and planning their future. Many students had been initially uncertain about the value of having the EY but changed their perceptions after experiencing the year. A few students shared an enhanced sense of belonging to their motherland after overseas activities. One negative perception identified was regarding the choice of EY activities, with discrepancies between what the students initially believed were possible and what was eventually feasible. Potential enabler suggested by students included providing more Faculty-initiated options, better financial support, enhancing the efficiency for information exchange, fewer meaningless assignments, and reduction in the amount of tasks needed to prepare for the EY. Discussion and Conclusions: Our findings identified similar barriers and enablers with other voluntary-based enrichment curricula. The most concerning barrier was financial limitations which could result in educational inequality. This could be addressed with better access to scholarships for those in need. Student learning outcomes were predominantly related to personal growth rather than hardcore knowledge. Take-home Messages: Despite many logistical barriers the EY appears to have produced positive learning outcomes which supplement the conventional medical curriculum, namely personal growth and resilience. Students expectations for what is feasible could be better addressed by Faculty.