Teaching Millennial and Generation Z learners in graduate medical education: evidence-informed approaches to learning, feedback, and engagement

Millennials and Generation Z now comprise a substantial proportion of learners in graduate medical education. As educational environments continue to evolve, faculty increasingly encounter differences in communication preferences, expectations, and learning preferences and expectations that may be influenced by generational experiences. The literature has described some Millennial and Generation Z learners as achievement-oriented, technologically fluent, collaborative, and highly motivated by relevance and applicability. Contrary to common stereotypes, many of the differences observed in these generations reflect broader societal, technological, and economic changes rather than deficiencies in professionalism or work ethic. Educational approaches emphasizing structure, active engagement, feedback, collaboration, and relevance may support engagement and learning among contemporary trainees. Understanding generational influences may help educators create learning communities and environments that maximize engagement, retention, and professional development. The Five Rs framework-research-based methods, relevance, rationale, relaxed environment, and rapport-offers a practical model for teaching modern learners.