Exploring the benefits of leisure reading for medical students and the role of medical libraries in promoting leisure literature: a scoping review

Introduction. Leisure reading, often called pleasure reading or voluntary reading, refers to reading for enjoyment outside of academic requirements. This study focuses on understanding the benefits of leisure reading specifically for medical students and explores strategies that medical libraries employ to foster these reading habits. Method. This study uses thematic analysis based on Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-phase framework. This approach found recurring themes across twenty (20) selected studies on impact of leisure reading on medical students. Analysis. Thematic analysis uncovered five (05) primary themes: fostering empathy in medical education, enhancing critical thinking and reflective skills’, ‘ethical decision-making through narrative reflection’, cultivating cultural competence in healthcare’, ‘promoting stress relief and emotional well-being among medical students. Results. Analysis of these themes shows that leisure reading provides substantial personal and professional benefits for medical students. This includes the development of critical skills essential to medical practice and the enhancement of emotional and reflective abilities, which medical libraries play a significant role in promoting. Conclusion. Despite a limited number of studies from 1962 to 2023, findings suggest a need for more comprehensive, longitudinal research to fully understand the impact of leisure reading on medical students. Incorporating leisure reading collections in medical libraries could be vital for the emotional and intellectual growth of future healthcare professionals.