Comparison of indicators of metacognitive awareness of doctors at different stages of education

Abstract

Introduction. Metacognition is essential for developing clinical thinking skills. Metacognitive skills are widely regarded as important for doctors, but they are rarely formed and evaluated in higher medical school. To solve this problem, it is required to determine how the cognitive, regulatory and reflexive indicators of metacognitive awareness in doctors change throughout their professional life. This work aims to study the metacognitive awareness of doctors at different stages of professional education. Methods. The study involved 1st-year students of the Department of General Medicine (N=48), medical residents (N=44), and doctors enrolled in advanced training cycles (N=34) of the Yaroslavl State Medical University. To study the cognitive, regulatory and reflexive indicators of metacognitive awareness, the following methods were used: "Metacognitive Awareness Inventory" (G. Schraw, R. Dennison, adaptation by E.Yu. Savin, A.E. Fomin), "Assessment of metacognitive knowledge and metacognitive activity" (Yu.V. Poshekhonova, M.M. Kashapov), "Methodology of the level of expression and direction of reflection" (M. Grant). Research results. Significant differences were revealed in metacognitive awareness indicators at the initial and final stages of higher education (U=800.0, p≤0.05). According to the results of the study, it was found that the higher the stage of higher professional education is, the higher is the ability to manage information (U=783.0, p≤0.05), choose the main ideas (U=800.0, p≤0.05) and control errors (U=790.0, p≤0.05). Moreover, indicators of socio-reflection are more pronounced (U=702.5, p≤0.01). The doctors enrolled in further education courses have a high level of metacognition. The significant differences were found in terms of the following indicators: metacognitive knowledge (U=309.5, p≤0.001), metacognitive activity (U=295.5, p≤0.001), concentration (U=417.5, p≤0.001), acquisition of information (U=275.5, p≤0.001), choice of main ideas (U=528.5, p≤0.05), and time management (U=338.0, p≤0.001). There are no significant differences in the reflexive component of the metacognitive awareness of doctors at the stage of additional professional education and the final stage of higher education. Conclusion. All indicators of metacognitive awareness among doctors are formed at the stage of higher education. The reflexive component of metacognitive awareness helps to adapt to the changing conditions of obtaining additional professional education. Metacognitive awareness, with the help of which doctors are aware of their own thoughts and use the best ways to solve problematic situations, allows them to cope with difficulties in the learning process and in professional activity.