Abstract:
Introduction: Clinical reasoning is essential for effective clinical practice. Clinical reasoning
helps medical students for clinical decision-making. However, development of clinical reasoning
is challenging. The purpose of this study was to explore clinical reasoning perspectives among
final year medical students.
Methods: Exploratory descriptive qualitative research design was employed. The study was
approved by the Institutional Review Board and Ethics Committee. Data were collected through
focused group discussion from 2 medical colleges in English language. A semi-structured guide
was used for data collection. Manual content analysis was applied for data analysis. The data
were summarized in categories, subcategories that were presented with their pertinent direct
quotes.
Results: Six categories namely mentoring support and guidance, learning challenges, teaching
and learning methods, assessment and feedback, systematic thinking, and being a life-long
learning were developed. The categories represented appreciating and devaluating expressions
of medical students for the development of clinical reasoning. Medical students expressed the
need for mentoring, bridging theory-practice gap, clinical resources, thinking systematically and
role of life-long learning. Whereas, curriculum overload, decontextualized curriculum, practice
inconsistencies, and cultural issues hinder development of clinical reasoning. Challenges can be
alleviated with effective clinical strategies, role modeling, being and becoming life-long learner
and evidence-based medical practices.
