Identifying the exceptional learner in medical education: A doing vs. being framework.

Purpose: This study aims to understand what is known about the high performing or exceptional learner in medical education. There is a rich literature about learners in difficulty, yet little is known about those performing at the high end, also known as exceptional learners.

Methods: A qualitative study was undertaken whereby 15 faculty members at the University of Toronto were interviewed to explore their experiences with these learners.

Results: Based on the findings, we developed a framework to categorize characteristics of exceptional learners by differentiating them as either 'Being' (a pre-existing attribute or set of values that the learner possesses from the start of training) or 'Doing' (demonstrable characteristics that can be observed or measured). Using this framework, we identified five characteristics in the category of 'Being', five in the category of 'Doing', and two that could be situated in either or both.

Conclusion: Utilizing this framework to describe exceptional learners will aid teachers in identifying them early in their training so that their training experience can be enhanced. This novel approach contributes to our knowledge of the exceptional medical learner. The optimization of the training experience will maximize the opportunity to ensure that these learners reach their full potential to contribute to the healthcare system.