Mixed Methods in Health Professions Education Scholarship

Answering educational questions in a scholarly way requires a diverse set of conceptual and methodological resources and strategies. Mixed methods approaches can yield robust findings.1 For example, the Clinical Learning Environment Review (CLER) National Report of Findings, published in May 2016, used mixed methods “to improve accuracy of the findings.”2 Effectively utilizing a mixed methods approach requires unique knowledge and skills.A mixed methods approach is often misconceived as any study using both qualitative data (eg, interviews, focus groups, responses to open-ended questions) and quantitative data (eg, survey statistics such as satisfaction ratings, performance ratings, examination scores). However, a mixed methods approach requires careful thought regarding the problem or question, assumptions about what constitutes evidence, types of data that best inform the problem or question, analytic techniques needed, and resources available.Mixed methods approaches focus on obtaining contextualized understanding of a phenomenon such as the learning environment explored by the CLER program. This understanding is obtained by taking multiple perspectives and cultural influences into account, with the approach guided by a conceptual or theoretical framework.1 To obtain these perspectives, researchers use qualitative approaches to explore meaning and processes associated with a phenomenon and quantitative approaches to assess the magnitude and frequency of a phenomenon. (See the online supplemental material for how the CLER report's mixed methods approach addresses these elements.)When considering a mixed methods approach, such as a study to follow up on CLER findings at your institution, think through the elements found in the table.1,3,4When you are considering a project that may be suited to mixed methods, ask yourself the following questions: