Physical examination courses are an essential part of the education of medical students. The aim of this study was to ascertain the factors influencing students’ motivation and willingness to participate in a physical examination course. Students were asked to complete a questionnaire subdivided into five domains: anthropometric data, religiousness, motivation to take part in physical examination courses, willingness to be physically examined at 11 different body regions by peers or a professional tutor and a field for free text. The questionnaire was completed by 142 medical students. The importance of the examination course was rated 8.7 / 10 points, the score for students’ motivation was 7.8 / 10 points. Willingness to be physically examined ranged from 6 to 100% depending on body part and examiner. Female students were significantly less willing to be examined at sensitive body parts (breast, upper body, groin and the hip joint; p = .003 to < .001), depending on group composition and / or examiner. Strictly religious students showed significantly less willingness to undergo examination of any part of the body except the hand (p = .02 to < .001). Considering BMI, willingness to be examined showed comparable rates for normal weight and under- / overweight students in general (80% vs. 77%). Concerning the composition of the group for physical examination skills courses, students preferred self-assembled over mixed gender and same gender groups. Peer physical examination is a method to improve students’ skills. While motivation to participate in and acceptance of the physical examination course appears to be high, willingness to be examined is low for certain parts of the body, e.g. breast and groin, depending on religiousness, gender and examiner. Examination by a professional medical tutor did not lead to higher acceptance. Most students would prefer to choose their team for physical examination courses themselves rather than be assigned to a group.

Digitisation in the education of future doctors was still in its infancy before the Covid pandemic. For the successful implementation of digital teaching, students need the technical equipment and the necessary skills to use it in a meaningful way. Furthermore, it requires a willingness to adapt the learning environment and to take responsibility for self-directed learning. At the beginning of 2020, faculties were forced to convert all teaching to digital formats. Initial research shows that students prefer face-to-face teaching. To determine whether medical students were prepared for digital studies and what should be considered for the future, we analysed surveys at the beginning of online studies and after two Corona semesters at a medical faculty. We were able to show that although our students had good technology equipment, they had a rather negative attitude towards online teaching for various reasons and developed negative emotions. Deficits in design of educational material, and personal learning habits raised concern. A lack of guidance and a lack of interaction with fellow students contributed to this. Adjustments in these areas will be necessary in the future to provide students with positive access to digital studies and thus increase learning success.

The increasing adoption of digital education, including mobile learning (mLearning), is transforming the training of future health professionals, offering advantages such as improved accessibility, timeliness, and affordability. While mLearning enhances clinical training by providing flexible access to information and supporting practical skills development, challenges such as inadequate resources and resistance from staff and patients need to be addressed for successful integration. This review aims to explore the factors for successful adoption of mLearning in clinical placements, providing valuable insights to inform best practices in its implementation. A scoping review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR). Arksey and O’Malley and Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology was applied. Searching 6 electronic databases plus manual searching returned 5178 articles, with 76 articles included in analysis. All studies were published between 2008 and 2024, with a significant proportion originating from Canada (n = 12), the United States (n = 12), the United Kingdom (n = 11), and Australia (n = 11). The majority of the studies involved nursing (n = 47) and medical (n = 24) students. The analysis revealed 6 facilitators and 6 barriers. It identified positive attitudes toward mobile applications, highlighting their role in enhancing education in clinical environment, organizing training, and improving patient care. However, barriers such as the absence of regulations, ethical concerns, and technical issues were also noted, along with the need to address information literacy and skills. Mapping research regarding facilitators and barriers for introducing mobile learning technologies into undergraduate education in clinical environment has helped in creating a set of solutions which are capable to ensure the success and sustainability of mLearning. These solutions should be considered at the innovation’s design, implementation, and post-implementation stages to guarantee its effectiveness in education in clinical environments. This may help to enhance the learning experience, improve knowledge retention, and develop clinical skills, while providing a cost-effective solution for clinical training programs for healthcare professions. This, in turn, has positive implications for quality of care provided.

Background: The learning process in clinical placements for health care students is a multifaceted endeavor that engages numerous actors and stakeholders, including students, clinical tutors, link teachers, and academic assessors. Successfully navigating this complex process requires the implementation of tasks and mentorships that are synchronized with educational and clinical processes, seamlessly embedded within their respective contexts. Given the escalating number of students and the rising demand for health care services from the general population, it becomes imperative to develop additional tools that support the learning process. These tools aim to simplify day-to-day clinical practice, allowing a concentrated focus on value-based activities. This paper introduces a project funded by the European Commission that involves 5 European countries. The project’s objective is to comprehensively outline the entire process of development and ultimately implement mobile technology in practice placements. The project tackles the existing gap by constructing tailored mobile apps designed for students, teachers, tutors, and supervisors within each participating organization. This approach leverages practice-based learning, mobile technology, and technology adoption to enhance the overall educational experience. Objective: This study aims to introduce mobile technology in clinical practice placements with the goal of facilitating and enhancing practice-based learning. The objective is to improve the overall effectiveness of the process for all stakeholders involved. Methods: The “4D in the Digitalization of Learning in Practice Placement” (4D Project) will use a mixed methods research design, encompassing 3 distinct study phases: phase 1 (preliminary research), which incorporates focus groups and a scoping review, to define the problem, identify necessities, and analyze contextual factors; phase 2 (collaborative app development), which involves researchers and prospective users working together to cocreate and co-design tailored apps; and phase 3, which involves feasibility testing of these mobile apps within practice settings. Results: The study’s potential impact will primarily focus on improving communication and interaction processes, fostering connections among stakeholders in practice placements, and enhancing the assessment of training needs. The literature review and focus groups will play a crucial role in identifying barriers, facilitators, and factors supporting the integration of mobile technology in clinical education. The cocreation process of mobile learning apps will reveal the core values and needs of various stakeholders, including students, teachers, and health care professionals. This process also involves adapting and using mobile apps to meet the specific requirements of practice placements. A pilot study aimed at validating the app will test and assess mobile technology in practice placements. The study will determine results related to usability and design, learning outcomes, student engagement, communication among stakeholders, user behavior, potential issues, and compliance with regulations. Conclusions: Health care education, encompassing disciplines such as medicine, nursing, midwifery, and others, confronts evolving challenges in clinical training. Essential to addressing these challenges is bridging the gap between health care institutions and academic settings. The introduction of a new digital tool holds promise for empowering health students and mentors in effectively navigating the intricacies of the learning process. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/53284

With rising numbers of students, shorter hospital stays and increasing workload of academic teachers, teaching time have become a scarce resource. Thus, optimal preparation by teachers is key for good clinical teaching. Though a lot of teaching duties are performed by residents in Germany, they are not likely to have been educated in didactic techniques. We developed and evaluated a mobile teaching application using the “Learning Toolbox (LTB)” platform (Raycom BV, Utrecht, Netherlands) that was offered to academic teachers for preparation and support during curricular courses at our medical school. Courses were part of the curricula in Anaesthesiology, Emergency Medicine, and Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery, and course length could vary up to 40 h per week. Information provided by the novel platform included logistic information, learning objectives, and curricula for the individual courses. A basic tutorial on didactic techniques, suggestions for providing feedback and for enhancing students’ participation was also part of the platform. After one semester, interviews with teachers indicated an increase in overall satisfaction. Residents appreciated didactic aids and content provided for preparation, leading to higher motivation and self-confidence. The more experienced teachers were particularly satisfied with easy access to scheduling, teaching assignments and daily planning. The app increased teachers’ satisfaction with their performance and enabled better integration of teaching in the daily schedule.

Mobile learning (mLearning) is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool for supporting clinical education by offering students flexible, real-time access to information within clinical learning environments (CLEs). However, its implementation is often hindered by infrastructural limitations, lack of institutional support and training, and concerns related to professionalism and patient perception. There is a lack of evidence that considers both student and stakeholder perspectives across different health education contexts. This study aimed to explore perceived barriers and facilitators to the integration of mLearning in clinical education from the perspectives of undergraduate health occupation students and clinical stakeholders. An exploratory qualitative design was used, involving six focus groups (FGs) with 25 students and 26 stakeholders from three European universities (Spain, Poland, and Germany). Data were analyzed thematically using the FRAME model (Framework for the Rational Analysis of Mobile Education). Research rigor was ensured through COREQ (COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research) guidelines and recognized qualitative research standards. Ethical approval was obtained from all institutions involved. A total of 51 participants - 25 students and 26 stakeholders - contributed to six FGs across three countries. Thematic analysis, guided by the FRAME model, revealed key benefits and challenges of mLearning integration in clinical education. Participants highlighted the potential of mobile technology to enhance flexibility, access to knowledge, and peer collaboration in clinical education. However, significant challenges remain, including ethical concerns, generational divides, limited infrastructure, and institutional resistance. Mobile technology offers clear benefits for clinical education - such as flexibility, access, and collaboration - but its integration requires addressing ethical, organizational, and generational barriers. Effective implementation demands inclusive, co-designed strategies supported by infrastructure, training, and cultural change.