SynthesisBMC medical education2023
Examining the nexus between medical education and complexity: a systematic review to inform practice and research.
Synthesis in BMC medical education, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- The impact of generative artificial intelligence on clinical skills and knowledge acquisition in medical undergraduates: a systematic review and meta-analysis.BMC medical education · 2026Pooled it
- The role of three-dimensional printing models in medical education: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.BMC medical education · 2025Pooled it
- Image-based and textbook-based virtual reality training on operational skills among junior residents: a proof of concept study.BMC medical education · 2025Trial
- From mechanisms to systems: Reconceptualising supervised workplace learning in postgraduate medical education.Medical education · 2026Article
- Challenges in implementing integrated undergraduate medical curricula across low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review.Pakistan journal of medical sciences · 2026Review
- Beyond intentions: a critical narrative review of accreditation's planned and emergent impact on medical schools.Advances in health sciences education : theory and practice · 2026Review
- A conducive clinical learning environment in primary care as a wicked problem: A scoping review of enablers, obstacles, and strategies.African journal of primary health care & family medicine · 2026Article
- Professional socialization as a complex adaptive process: a systematic scoping review and integrative theory of professional identity formation.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- The Effects of Integrating Visual Thinking Strategies on Intellectual Humility, Tolerance of Ambiguity, Empathy, and Observation Skills: A pre-post Study among Medical Students.Medical science educator · 2026Article
- AI-Enhanced Continuing Professional Development as an Evolving Sociotechnical System: Multimethod Theoretical Framework Development Study.JMIR medical education · 2026Article
- Research topic-driven curriculum content reform in graduate immunology to strengthen students' research and innovation competence.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- The interplay of research and teaching for better medical care: Balance and dynamic development.GMS journal for medical education · 2026Article
- Applying Van den Akker's Spider Web Model to curriculum design in medical education: a practical guide.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Exploring faculty development initiatives in medical education in resource-limited settings: perspectives and challenges.BMC medical education · 2025Article
- Exploring Complexity in Out-of-Hospital Clinical Supervision Using Rich Pictures.Perspectives on medical education · 2025Article
- The Nursing Theory of Complex Adaptive Systems: A New Paradigm for Nursing.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMedical education is a multifarious endeavour integrating a range of pedagogies and philosophies. Complexity as a science or theory ('complexity') signals a move away from a reductionist paradigm to one which appreciates that interactions in multi-component systems, such as healthcare systems, can result in adaptive and emergent outcomes. This examination of the nexus between medical education and complexity theory aims to discover ways that complexity theory can inform medical education and medical education research.
methodsA structured literature review was conducted to examine the nexus between medical education and complexity; 5 databases were searched using relevant terms. Papers were included if they engaged fully with complexity as a science or theory and were significantly focused on medical education. All types of papers were included, including conceptual papers (e.g. opinion and theoretical discussions), case studies, program evaluations and empirical research. A narrative and thematic synthesis was undertaken to create a deep understanding of the use of complexity in medical education.
resultsEighty-three papers were included; the majority were conceptual papers. The context and theoretical underpinnings of complexity as a relevant theory for medical education were identified. Bibliographic and temporal observations were noted regarding the entry of complexity into medical education. Complexity was relied upon as a theoretical framework for empirical studies covering a variety of elements within medical education including: knowledge and learning theories; curricular, program and faculty development; program evaluation and medical education research; assessment and admissions; professionalism and leadership; and learning for systems, about systems and in systems. DISCUSSION: There is a call for greater use of theory by medical educators. Complexity within medical education is established, although not widespread. Individualistic cultures of medicine and comfort with reductionist epistemologies challenges its introduction. However, complexity was found to be a useful theory across a range of areas by a limited number of authors and is increasingly used by medical educators and medical education researchers. This review has further conceptualized how complexity is being used to support medical education and medical education research.
conclusionThis literature review can assist in understanding how complexity can be useful in medical educationalists' practice.
Indexed as
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.