Elevating qualitative research in health professions and sciences education

Elevating qualitative research in health professions and sciences educationAnatomy is a discipline that emphasizes close examination, not only of the body but also of the person.This spirit of inquiry is central not only to anatomy education but also to health professions education more broadly.For generations, educators across medicine, nursing, physical therapy, and related fields have mapped structures, traced pathways, memorized layers, and taught students to navigate the terrain of the human form with confidence.Yet some of the most important questions in health professions education cannot be reduced to structures or sequences.They live instead in experiences, meanings, stories, identities, uncertainties, and the inner worlds our learners carry with them into the lab, the classroom, and out into clinical practice.Addressing these profound questions requires different tools-tools that qualitative inquiry provides, allowing us to explore the complexities of professional formation, ethical development, and the human dimensions of care that are foundational to preparing future health professionals.