The happiness question: A study of the subjective well‐being of medical students during clinical clerkship anatomy sessions

Medical student well‐being is an important consideration, given the levels of distress reported during training. There are a variety of studies that explore medical students' well‐being, but few focus on positive indicators. This study aimed to investigate the subjective well‐being of medical students rotating through clinical clerkship anatomy sessions during the third and fourth years of medical school through basic psychological needs theory. The mixed‐methods design followed a QUAN + qual procedural design, in which data were collected and analyzed concurrently, emphasizing the quantitative aspect. Participants voluntarily completed a pre‐ and post‐survey during clinical clerkship anatomy sessions over 2 months in the 2024–2025 academic year. The pre‐survey included items on subjective well‐being and demographic information, while the post‐survey repeated the subjective well‐being items and included open‐ended qualitative questions. Using a single‐group, within‐subjects design, dependent t ‐tests and Wilcoxon signed‐rank tests were used to compare means of pre‐ and post‐survey responses, and thematic analysis was used for the qualitative data. Among medical students rotating through clinical clerkships at a Southeastern institution in 2024, participants reported increased subjective well‐being during anatomy sessions, as measured by scores on the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule and the Satisfaction With Life Scale. Themes consistent with basic psychological needs theory, subjective well‐being, and situated learning were identified in the qualitative feedback about the clinical clerkship anatomy sessions. The findings suggest that incorporating an educational program into the medical school curriculum can be positively associated with medical students' well‐being outcomes.