title: Reflective writing in medical education.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The teaching of reflection and the use of reflective writing assignments is commonplace in medical school education. There is a preponderance of research in medical education, which appraises and discusses new ways of teaching reflection.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Students often complain about having to write about their experience with that patient. This work explores some of the reasoning between the variability of student acceptance of reflection in medical education.
  
  
  METHODS
  The method is based on available literature as well as a personal perspective regarding reflective writing in medical education.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Reflection is a skill that requires teaching and practice. It is within the explicit process of teaching reflection in medical education that reflective learners can be developed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Reflection includes the take-home lesson from patient encounters. Its use can help learners become better physicians in terms of medical and humanistic effectiveness and support personal growth.
authors.affiliation: Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA.
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Rosalyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stewart
mesh_terms: D004501:Education, Medical; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D014956:Writing