Facilitating reflection: a strategy for improving medical students’ patient-centered care competence

This study proposes instructional design strategies that effectively foster learners’ reflection in medical education. Based on an extensive literature review, this study identifies strategies for promoting reflection in three areas: instructional design, instructional implementation, and learning environment design. The conclusions are as follows. First, in instructional design, it is essential to select patient-centered medical education courses, clarify their objectives, analyze learner characteristics related to reflection, establish an assessment plan for reflective practice, develop reflection journal templates, design activities that trigger reflective thinking, and allocate time for periodic reflection. Second, in instructional implementation, instructors should provide an orientation toward reflection, identify and document learners’ challenges related to reflective practice, and offer appropriate support to facilitate their reflection. Third, when designing a learning environment, instructors should cultivate a classroom climate that encourages reflection and establish an online environment conducive to reflective engagement.