THE TRAJECTORY OF SELF-EFFICACY IN MEDICAL EDUCATION: CHALLENGES AND PROSPECTS

Abstract

This longitudinal study investigated the trajectory of perceived self-efficacy among medical students over a four-year undergraduate program, grounded in Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory. Self-efficacy, understood as the belief in one's capacity to succeed in specific situations, is essential for academic performance, persistence, and adaptation. The research followed students from the basic science cycle through clinical internship, utilizing the Perceived Self-Efficacy Scale in Higher Education (EAPES), which assesses five dimensions: academic competence, learning regulation, social interaction, proactive actions, and academic management. The findings revealed a significant decline in overall self-efficacy from the beginning of the course through the mid-clinical cycle, followed by partial recovery during the internship year, though not returning to initial levels. The proactive actions dimension exhibited the most pronounced decline and least recovery, suggesting that students' confidence in taking initiative and acting independently is particularly vulnerable during medical training. Individual trajectories varied considerably, underscoring the influence of personal and contextual factors. These findings have substantial implications for medical education, indicating the necessity for targeted pedagogical interventions, particularly during critical transition periods between cycles. The study contributes to understanding how the escalating demands of medical training impact students' perceived competence.