Assessment of self-directed learning abilities among medical undergraduates in a government medical college of Nagpur: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Self-directed learning (SDL) is an essential component of competency-based medical education (CBME) and plays a vital role in promoting lifelong learning among medical students. The National Medical Commission has emphasized SDL as a key strategy to develop independent learning, critical thinking, and professional competence among undergraduate medical students. The present study was conducted to assess self-directed learning abilities among medical undergraduates at a Government Medical College in Nagpur.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among second professional undergraduate medical students of Government Medical College, Nagpur from October to December 2025. A universal sampling technique was adopted, and participation was voluntary. Data were collected using the pre-validated self-directed learning instrument (SDLI) developed by Shen et al consisting of 20 items across four domains: learning motivation, planning and implementation, self-monitoring, and interpersonal communication. participants’ responses were obtained using a 5-point Likert scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics in Jamovi software version 2.6.44.

Results: Out of 250 students approached, 174 completed the questionnaire, yielding a response rate of 69.6%. The overall SDL score was 72.1%, indicating a moderate level of self-directed learning ability among the participants. Among the four domains, the highest percentage score was observed in learning motivation (75.7%), followed by interpersonal communication (72.4%), self-monitoring (71.4%), and planning and implementation (68.6%).

Conclusions: The study demonstrated that medical undergraduates possessed moderate level of self-directed learning abilities, with strong learning motivation but comparatively lower scores in planning and implementation.