Normalising vulnerability, humanising learning: A qualitative exploration of dissonance and growth in clinical learning environments

Findings reinforce that learners need supportive conditions to grow through dissonance. Such conditions include spaces where they can face challenges without fear of judgement or punishment. Findings suggest that creating such conditions remains difficult in medical education, where rigid hierarchies and institutional norms often erode psychological safety. This work extends prior research by showing how trust and safety are co-created in real time, with both learners and educators influencing and reinforcing each other's openness and vulnerability.