Table 5 Modulation of learning strategies

Selecting Strategies

Struggle to select strategies independently

Until somebody tells you, “you need to do this”, or “do this instead,” I don't see how I could improve (S15)

There’s not much I can do with a grade or do with what I didn't do well, if I have no idea how to fix it (S53)

Don't just throw a comment and walk away. Show me! Tell me what is “better!” Don't tell me you could have done better. (S10)

Value feedback with explicit strategies

If they're saying “oh I think it'd be great if you did X”, I don't know, "if you were to have a more organized system, like if you have like a checklist mentally. Maybe you can try it.” That's great. That's a better way for me to organize my thoughts (S6)

Adapting Strategies

 Behavioural strategies

I would have never improved if I had never met a doctor, who said "the history was terrible. And this is how you're going to fix it. This is exactly how you should say it."(S26)

 Cognitive strategies

Feedback requiring significant shifts

Adapt

“I would try my best to take their comments on board… I don't think any of my practices and techniques are, are kind of finite, to the point where they're not changeable. And I'm open to taking on new perspectives and different ways of doing things” (S35)

Discard

“Studying on my own … I have that down…So that I would probably keep doing the way I do it. But when it comes to like, practical skills, I'm willing to change” (S11)

Curating feedback

Trying to take a couple of nuggets from each tutorial and be like, "Oh, yeah actually, I can use that” (S37)

 Disengagement and management of emotions

I reach a point … when people are that way, ….whatever they say, I just don't take it in… you’re causing more harm than benefits (S10)

I've seen lots of my friends quit because of poor feedback, like really negative feedback, really, at least temporarily (S48)

you feel like it's not constructive and that's when it that you'd like shut down (S11)