Determinants of student-teacher relationship in health professions education- a multi-method study

Student-teacher relationship (STR) in health professions education impacts students’ academic performance, professional development, and mental well-being. Understanding the determinants of these relationships is essential for fostering an effective and supportive learning environment, particularly in the emotionally demanding context of health education. This study used a multi-method approach, combining quantitative surveys to measure perceptions of student-teacher relationships with qualitative interviews to explore underlying factors influencing these interactions. Data were collected from students and faculty across diverse health professions programs and analyzed using statistical and thematic analysis techniques. A total of 333 students participated in the quantitative survey, with the majority being medical students (38.4%). Ten faculty and students participated in the qualitative study. The majority were female students (68.2%), and from the 2nd year of study. Students identified personal qualities of being impressive and inspiring teachers, who are warm, compassionate, and demonstrate trustworthy, well-intentioned, and reliable behavior, as the factors instilling confidence in them. Reliability was the most important factor identified for strong STR, with 75.8% of medical and 68.8% of pharmacy students sharing the opinion. STR can affect teachers’ performance, students’ attendance in class, as well as their academic achievements. Students appreciated qualities in their teachers. The views about teacher qualities, STR, teachers’ actions, and their effect on teachers and attendance had diverse responses from students. They agreed on most points, while displaying significant differences among different years, colleges, and different grade point average categories on others. This bidirectional relationship affects students in terms of attendance, discipline, and academic achievement, and teachers in self-confidence and performance as an educator. Health professional students consider teacher characteristics like a friendly approach, reliability, and trustworthiness important for STR, and motivation to learn. Both teachers and students agree that technology should be appropriately used to benefit STR.