Self-Efficacy of Medical Students at a Public University Using Active Teaching Methodologies

Abstract

Self-efficacy is defined as a student's self-judgment regarding their own capacity to exert effort and carry out actions aimed at achieving a specific level of performance. In the context of higher education, this type of self-assessment is highly significant, as it holds predictive value for academic performance. This study was conducted to investigate the self-efficacy of medical students at a university in southern Maranhão that employs active teaching methodologies. The sample consisted of 257 medical students. Data were collected using the Higher Education Self-Efficacy Scale and a sociodemographic questionnaire, both administered electronically. Data analysis was performed using IBM SPSS software (IBM SPSS Statistics, 2016) with a significance level of 5%. Ethical approval was granted under CAAE registration number 45366121.0.0000.5087. Students in the basic cycle and the internship phase demonstrated high self-efficacy (scores of 8.38 and 8.20, respectively), whereas those in the clinical cycle showed a score of 7.96, indicating moderate self-efficacy. Students in both the basic cycle and the internship phase demonstrated a stronger perception regarding the organization and execution of actions that foster their performance. Interpersonal interaction was a notable factor in these two cycles. Age appears to contribute to a student's higher overall perception of self-efficacy and better performance in the "regulation of training" domain. The use of various active teaching methodologies contributes to high self-efficacy among medical students; the scale enabled the identification of areas for improvement aimed at fostering student agency.