PURPOSE
Individualized Learning Plans (ILPs) are widely used in graduate medical
education to promote self-directed learning (SDL), yet residents often
struggle to adapt to this format. Competency-based education advocates have
called for undergraduate medical education (UME) to better prepare learners
for residency and lifelong learning through metacognitive skills such as SDL
and self-regulation. This innovation aimed to implement a longitudinal ILP
curriculum in UME to enhance reflection, goal-setting, and readiness for
residency, ultimately supporting development of master adaptive learners.
 
METHODS
Guided by the Master Adaptive Learner and Critical Junctures frameworks, we
designed a curriculum integrating structured reflection milestones,
individualized goal-setting, and personalized learning strategies. Students
complete ILPs at key academic transitions, documenting strengths, challenges,
specialty interests, and actionable goals. Plans and reflections are stored
in a learning management system for faculty review and formative feedback,
enabling targeted advising and early intervention.
 
RESULTS
Implementation at Texas A&M VCOM demonstrates that ILPs provide an
efficient mechanism for understanding learners’ strategies and challenges.
Stakeholders reported improved ability to individualize advising and address
misalignment between goals and performance. Students describe ILPs as helpful
for organizing priorities and prompting reflection. The initiative fosters
collaboration across departments and aligns with LCME 6.3 requirements for
SDL. Longitudinal tracking will allow assessment of residency readiness and
confidence in using ILPs as meaningful tools.
CONCLUSIONS
ILPs offer a structured approach to fostering self-regulation and SDL in
UME. Future plans include pairing ILPs with coaching principles to strengthen
adaptive expertise. This innovation provides a scalable model for integrating
reflection and goal-setting into UME curricula to support lifelong learning.