Experiences of Undergraduate Medical Students during a Supervised Emergency-based Elective in Northern India: A Mixed-methods Study

Abstract

Introduction: Short emergency-based electives may help undergraduate medical students connect classroom learning with acute-care clinical practice; however, published evaluations of such electives within Indian undergraduate medical programmes remain limited. This mixed-methods educational evaluation examined learner experiences using longitudinal reflective data, with pre-post educational questionnaires providing contextual educational indicators following a twoweek supervised emergency-based elective. Aim: To explore undergraduate medical students’ learning experiences during a supervised emergency-based elective and to describe associated contextual pre-post educational indicators. Materials and Methods: The present mixed-methods study was conducted at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences, Mohali, Punjab, India, from February 2026 to April 2026. It involved a retrospective secondary analysis of routinely collected educational data from four Phase III Part II MBBS students who had completed a two-week supervised emergencybased elective. Primary qualitative sources were a baseline expectations form, daily reflections on learning experience and detailed written post-elective feedback. Pre-post educational instruments were used only to contextualise the qualitative narratives and were not treated as primary outcome measures or evidence of effectiveness. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed separately and integrated during interpretation. Results: All 4 students (100%) completed the three paired contextual instruments. Daily reflections were submitted for 45 out of 48 (93.8%). Post-elective knowledge and self-efficacy scores improved for all students, though communication self-assessment showed mixed results. Qualitative analysis revealed five themes: initial anxiety, connection of classroom learning to real patient encounters, procedural exposure gaps, communication under pressure, and development of confidence with awareness of limits. Conclusion: The supervised emergency-based elective helped students progress from initial anxiety to confidence in engaging in clinical activities under supervision. Reflections showed that students learned about professional development, communication, and recognition of personal limitations, connecting classroom knowledge to clinical practice. While these findings do not confirm independent emergency-care competence, they suggest that well-structured emergency electives can offer valuable introductory experiences in undergraduate medical education. Larger studies with validated assessments and longer follow-up are necessary to validate these observations.