Medical Students’ Experiences of Education with Blended Learning: A Qualitative Study of Perceived Advantages and Challenges

The aim of the study was to explore medical students’ experiences of e-learning and face-to-face meetings (blended learning) with a specific focus on the possibilities of and hindrances to the learning process. A pilot study was conducted with 14 medical students and a main study followed, with 119 medical students participating in three social medicine courses. Of the 119 medical students, 25 took part in a qualitative study evaluating the approach through interviews. These were analysed using manifest content analysis. The findings indicated that blended learning was an appropriate way for medical students to learn about medical insurance issues. The balance between e-learning and face-to-face meetings was satisfactory and the students used a variety of learning strategies when solving authentic patient cases. Some found the pedagogical approach frustrating, since they had to take more responsibility than previously and some were not interested in sharing their knowledge with their fellow students.