Turning struggles into strengths: A qualitative exploration of academic difficulty in medical school
The study findings challenge the prevailing deficit narrative and demonstrate the transformative potential of academic struggles. With appropriate support and a strengths-based educational framework, students can overcome feelings of despair and low confidence, emerging as capable, compassionate, and resilient healthcare professionals.
Authors
- Sarah Larkins (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7561-3202)
- Bunmi S. Malau-Aduli
- Elizabeth McDonald
- Richard Turner
Institutions
- University of Tasmania (AU)
- University of Newcastle Australia (AU)
- James Cook University (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Medical Teacher
- Published
- 2026-02-12
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159x.2025.2610404
- Primary Topic
- Healthcare professionals’ stress and burnout
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00