The Role of Faculty in Facilitating Self-directed Learning among Undergraduate Medical Students: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: Self-directed learning (SDL) is increasingly recognized in medical education which places learners at the center and faculty as facilitators. Both, Indian and international MBBS curricula now mandate SDL to foster lifelong learning, adaptability, and professional competence. Faculty play a pivotal role in guiding, motivating, and assessing SDL, yet their involvement varies widely across institutions. This scoping review maps the breadth of faculty roles in SDL, identifies gaps, and proposes strategies for effective implementation.

Methods: Following Arksey & O’Malley and JBI frameworks, we conducted a systematic search across MEDLINE, Scopus, ERIC, and IndMED for studies published between 2020 and 2025. Studies exploring faculty roles in SDL for undergraduate medical education were included. Data were extracted, thematically analyzed, and synthesized to highlight key trends and challenges.

Results: Included studies highlighted inconsistent faculty participation in SDL curriculum design, limited comprehensive SDL blueprinting, and a tendency to view SDL as mere preparatory reading rather than active student engagement. Assessment of SDL was seldom integrated into formal evaluations. Optimal environments were marked by accessible resources and smooth scheduling, though many institutions faced logistical and infrastructural barriers. Faculty development initiatives showed variability in both content and uptake, with calls for more robust, context-sensitive structured SDL training. Precisely, validated faculty readiness assessment tools remain scarce, especially for the Indian context, and most existing instruments (e.g., SRSSDL, SDLI) are student-focused. The impact of structured faculty facilitation on SDL attitudes and skills as well as its adaptability across policy contexts remains underexplored. Strengths of this review include methodological rigor and broad mapping, while limitations involve heterogeneous study contexts and language constraints.

Conclusion: Faculty facilitation, resource guidance, and assessment are keys for successful SDL implementation. Systematic faculty training, definitive SDL objectives, and adaptable evaluation frameworks are essential. For SDL to foster lifelong learning, institutions must prioritize and support both educators and students in contextually meaningful ways.