Motivation In Medical Education: A Systematic Review

The purpose of this study was to systematically review the literature on motivation in medical education, with the intention of providing a framework for educators to consider this important dimension of curriculum development. Motivation is the translation of a person’s basic psychological needs and drives, filtered through their view of the world, toward an action with an anticipated result. There is a range of motivational states from intrinsically motivated to immotivated; the types of motivation are not dichotomous, and the model itself is fluid (i.e.: a person can move between different types of motivation depending on the situation). Educators can foster intrinsic motivation by addressing learner’s needs for competence, autonomy, and relatedness. Each need fulfilled on its own promotes intrinsic motivation, however, fulfilling all three needs at once creates a synergistic effect. The need for competence is fulfilled by providing optimal challenge and positive performance feedback, the need for autonomy by providing choice and opportunity for self-direction, and the need for relatedness by providing a sense of belongingness and connection to the medical profession. Motivating the learner may be one of the most important things that an educator does.