The curative-to-preventive perspective shift of medical students through community dementia programs: a qualitative study based on transformative learning theory

This qualitative study identified four themes characterizing medical students' transformative learning (TL) journey in community dementia prevention programs. The synergistic interaction between structured TLT-based progression and experiential pathways facilitated students' paradigm shift from treatment-centered to prevention-focused healthcare approaches. Our findings recommend that medical educators should intentionally design learning environments that incorporate TLT, integrate community-based practice into core curricula through problem-driven approaches, and systematically leverage students' personal experiences to foster critical reflection and enhance learning motivation, thereby preparing future healthcare professionals to serve as prevention-oriented change agents.