FROM MEMORIZING LAWS TO MORAL REASONING: EXPLORING SELF-REGULATED LEARNING IN MEDICAL LAW AND ETHICS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18623/rvd.v22.n4.3736Keywords:
Self-Regulated Learning, Medical Education, Medical Law, Ethics, Professional Identity, Moral ReasoningAbstract
This qualitative study explored how medical students develop self-regulated learning (SRL) strategies when engaging with medical law and ethics, a domain where cognition, reflection, and emotion intersect. Thirteen undergraduate medical students participated in semi-structured interviews analyzed thematically using Braun and Clarke’s framework. The findings revealed four interconnected themes: learning through moral curiosity, structuring chaos into clarity, balancing emotion and reason, and transforming learning into professional purpose. Students initially approached the subject as a memorization task but gradually reframed it as an ethical inquiry that shaped their identity as future physicians. Through planning, reflection, and emotional regulation, they learned to navigate moral uncertainty and align personal values with professional expectations. The study extends SRL theory beyond cognitive control, showing that in moral-legal education, self-regulation becomes a form of ethical practice. Integrating reflective SRL activities into ethics curricula can foster moral reasoning, emotional resilience, and professional integrity among medical students.
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