Preliminary analysis of demographics and learning attributes of graduate entry medical students.
BACKGROUND
Students entering university are empowered to move towards self-directed professional learning and beyond didactic tuition. Graduate entry medical (GEM) students have prior experience of this transition from pedagogical to androgogical learning. We aimed to assess the demographics and learning attributes of GEM students.


METHODS
Ethical exemption was awarded. The short version of the approaches and study skills inventory for students and the learning style questionnaire were distributed to GEM students during semester 1, 2008.


RESULTS
Response rate was 84% (n = 32). Fifty percent of responders had graduated in 2008 (22%) or 2007 (28%). Seventy-five percent had a background in basic science (56%) or an allied health profession (19%). The predominant learning approach is a combination of deep and strategic. The predominant learning style is reflective.


CONCLUSIONS
Our preliminary analysis reveals GEM students to exhibit a mature approach to learning and the requisite learning style to achieve academic and clinical success.
Fanning
D M
DM
Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland. fanningdee@yahoo.co.uk
Chadwick
G
G
D000328:Adult; D003625:Data Collection; D003710:Demography; D004503:Education, Medical, Graduate / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult