Exploring Medical Students Perspectives on Reflective Writing: A Qualitative Focus Group Study

Authors

  • Mohammad Arif Kamarudin Head of the Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Muhammad Iqbal Ahmad Suji Special Study Module (SSM) research group of year- 4 medical students of the Faculty of Medicine UKM, attached to the UKM Medical Education Department
  • Wong Zhi Wen Special Study Module (SSM) research group of year- 4 medical students of the Faculty of Medicine UKM, attached to the UKM Medical Education Department
  • Shridha Nair Jeya Kumar Special Study Module (SSM) research group of year- 4 medical students of the Faculty of Medicine UKM, attached to the UKM Medical Education Department
  • Fatin Ahmad Dafiruddin Special Study Module (SSM) research group of year- 4 medical students of the Faculty of Medicine UKM, attached to the UKM Medical Education Department
  • Nur Qurratu Ain Shamsul Murfiz Special Study Module (SSM) research group of year- 4 medical students of the Faculty of Medicine UKM, attached to the UKM Medical Education Department
  • Mohd Nasri Awang Besar Department of Medical Education, Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
  • Abdus Salam Medical Education Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Widad University College, Kuantan, Pahang, Malaysia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v24i1.78712

Keywords:

Reflective writing, Medical student perception, Focus group.

Abstract

Reflective writing (RW) is an analytical reflective practice method implemented in academic settings to encourage personal and professional growth. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perception of medical students on reflection, the process of RW and its associated challenges. A total of 30 students were invited to participate in focus group discussions (FGD). Five FGDs were conducted while facilitated by a moderator based on an unvarying set of 9 questions determined by researchers preceding data collection. Recordings of the FGD were transcribed and analysed thematically. A total of 39 codes were identified and classified into 11 themes. The themes are time spent, language barrier, impact of reflection, feedback, purpose of reflection, themes, frequency of assignments, word count, and suggested improvements. Results have shown assessment and grading reflective assignments should be re-evaluated or made obsolete to achieve its purpose as reflection is highly subjective. Ensuring consistent feedback from supervisors allow students to feel acknowledged and promote genuine reflections. Students also prefer verbal or discussion-based reflections compared to written form. The perception of students was found to be varying. While some students were doubtful of RW, the general concession was that it is a useful tool in reflective learning. It is important for institutions to review the enhancements suggested by students to further improve reflective practice in medical education.

Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science Vol. 24 No. 01 January’25 Page : 87-96

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Published

2025-01-07

How to Cite

Kamarudin, M. A., Ahmad Suji, M. I., Wen, W. Z., Jeya Kumar, S. N., Dafiruddin, F. A., Shamsul Murfiz, N. Q. A., … Salam, A. (2025). Exploring Medical Students Perspectives on Reflective Writing: A Qualitative Focus Group Study. Bangladesh Journal of Medical Science, 24(1), 87–96. https://doi.org/10.3329/bjms.v24i1.78712

Issue

Vol. 24 No. 1 (2025)

Section

Original Articles

License

Copyright (c) 2025 Mohammad Arif Kamarudin, Muhammad Iqbal Ahmad Suji, Wong Zhi Wen, Shridha Nair Jeya Kumar, Fatin Ahmad Dafiruddin, Nur Qurratu Ain Shamsul Murfiz, Mohd Nasri Awang Besar, Abdus Salam

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