A Phenomenological Exploration of Experiences Related to Learning Styles Among Undergraduate Medical Students in a Barbadian Medical School

Figures & data

Box 1 Description of the Macro Setting of the Study

The University of the West Indies (UWI) Faculty of Medical Sciences (FMS) was established in 1948, began clinical teaching in Barbados in 1967 and expanded to the full five-year undergraduate MBBS in 2008. Students typically matriculate into the UWI MBBS programme with any of the following qualifications: Four Caribbean Advanced Proficiency Examination (CAPE) or A-level certificates, or an Associate degree, or a Bachelor’s degree in the pure and applied sciences. The MBBS curriculum is comprised of two components. Phase 1 (pre-clinical) where there is introduction to basic biomedical sciences and broad social and behavioural constructs of health, wellbeing and illness. Phase 1 courses are scaffolded and are thus designed to promote integrated learning as students advance toward the Phase 2 (clinical) part of the programme. In the clinical years, students learn requisite medical skills through observation and practical interaction with real patients in hospital and ambulatory care settings, supplemented by use of models and simulated patients. The UWI MBBS programme is accredited by the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and Other Health Professions (CAAM-HP).

Note: Data from Faculty of Medical Sciences Undergraduate Handbook 2021–2022; 2023.⁵⁵

Table 1 Data Reduction Matrix Showing the Inductive Coding Frame and Organizing Themes (OTs)

Code Name and Abbreviation	Description – Refers to All Descriptions/Explanations by Participants Relating to	Condensed Organizing Theme
1. Info-in	Their explanation of how they (take in) information presented in class	1. Dynamics of Information Delivery and Acquisition Variable ways of taking in information, juxtaposed against stated preferences for receiving information. There were descriptions of a feedback dynamism between students’ demand and lecturers’ ability to supply mutually beneficial pedagogical strategies to optimise the teaching and learning experience across the pre-clinical and clinical years. The observed effects were manifested as flexible lecturing strategies in terms of delivery coupled with student’s self-motivation to successfully transition through the MBBS programme.
2. Info-effect	The perceived effectiveness of the methods used by lecturers relative to their own learning style
3. Inf-MetLec	The methods used by lecturers to share information/teach
4. Dtmanagement^a	Their explanation of how they manage information received in class.
5. Dtmanagement^a	Their explanation of how they manage information received in class	2. Pivoting Students’ self-motivation to achieve a successful transition through the MBBS programme appeared to be linked to several strategies to manage the data in a way that allowed them to prepare optimally for assessments. Students supplemented information received in class sessions via several means including open access media. Self-directed learning (students taking responsibility for their own learning and seeking out additional resources and modalities to augment their understanding of the course material). Some aspects of augmentation were via peer support: individual students leveraged synergies arising from the perceived strengths of others to address unmet needs/gaps in their own knowledge base.
6. Ex- Prep	Their explanation of methods used and the perceived effectiveness of test preparation
7. Ex-Stru	Explanation of the structure of, and the perceived types of assessments provided in class
8. Ex-Tak	Their approach/techniques to answering the questions/ fulfilling the requirements of assessments
9. Chan- Lstyl- stud	Anticipated or actual changes in learning style in relation to progressing from Years 2 to 5 of the MBBS	3. Learning Style Identification, Awareness and Mutability Descriptions of students’ perspectives on achieving self-awareness of learning style preferences and concomitantly identifying aspects of learning style preference for improvement (or identifying maladaptive learning style preferences).
10. Chan-Teach- lec	Changes in lecturer’s teaching

Note: ^aThis code contributed to two organizing themes (OT1 and OT2).

Table 2 Demographic Profile of Focus Group Participants

*FG	M	F	Age Range (Years)	Dominant Learning Style
1- Year 2	1	5	19–24	Kinesthetic (1), Multimodal (2), Read/Write (2), Visual (1)
2- Year 5	2	5	20–34	Kinesthetic (3), Multimodal (4)

Note: All males identified as multimodal; among the females, the most frequently identified LS was kinesthetic.

Abbreviations: *FG, focus group; M, male; F, female (self-identified by participants).

Figure 1 Illustration of the relationship between the organizing themes and the global theme.

Faculty of Medical Sciences Undergraduate Handbook 2021–2022; 2023. Available from: https://www.cavehill.uwi.edu/fms/news-notices/medical-sciences-2021-2022-handbook.aspx. Accessed April 22, 2023.

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