Motivations for learning of family medicine residents trained in competency-based education*

AbstractBackground and objective: Family physicians regularly encounter clinical uncertainty and ambiguity and thus, are expected to engage in on-going learning to respond to changing needs of family practice. Using Achievement Goal Theory, the objective of this study was to examine motivations for learning of family medicine residents in a competency-based program.Method: This was a cross-sectional study, employing a survey methodology with family medicine residents at the mid-point of training at a Canadian university. Multivariate analyses of variance and covariance were used to examine residents’ goal orientations (performance approach, mastery approach, performance avoidance, mastery avoidance) for the group as a whole and to test for the effects of residents’ gender and program stream (urban/rural), respectively.Results: A total of 52 (67%) residents completed the survey. Overall, residents scored highest on mastery approach and lowest on performance avoidance, thus, exhibiting adaptive motivations ...