Scholarship of Teaching and Learning in Health Professions Education: Triggers, Drivers, Accelerators and Chaos

Background: The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) in Health Professions Education (HPE) has evolved into a multidisciplinary field emphasizing evidence-based, reflective educational practices. SoTL is recognized as essential for educational improvement but is often initiated in response to educators’ curiosity, perceived gaps in student engagement, and external events that force rapid adaptation. Methods: A review of existing literature was conducted to identify factors that initiate, drive, and accelerate the implementation of SoTL in HPE, and to explore the resulting complexity or "chaos" that can ensue from these efforts. Results: The development of SoTL in HPE is shaped by four key categories: triggers, drivers, accelerators, and chaos. Triggers include a desire to enhance student outcomes and responses to crises like the pandemic. Drivers consist of institutional curriculum reforms and opportunities for scholarly collaboration. Accelerators encompass strategies such as integrating SoTL into promotion criteria, providing funding, faculty development, and fostering communities of practice. However, the process can also produce chaos, as external shocks and inherent educational complexity demand adaptability, resilience, and creativity from educators. Conclusion: Successfully advancing SoTL in health professions requires intentional cultivation of supportive institutional cultures, investment in professional development, and valuing educational scholarship. Acknowledging both the structured and chaotic aspects of educational environments better prepares educators to innovate and improve learning outcomes, ultimately benefitting the broader healthcare field.