Formation of professional motivation of medical students through teaching chemistry

The article examines the issue of developing professional motivation among medical students through the teaching of chemistry. The relevance of this research lies in the need to enhance the quality of medical education by integrating fundamental sciences with clinical practice. Chemistry serves as a key foundation for understanding biochemical processes, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics of drugs. However, at the early stages of training, students often perceive it as an abstract subject, which reduces their learning motivation. The purpose of this study is to theoretically justify and experimentally verify the effectiveness of a motivational design model (based on John Keller’s ARCS concept) in teaching chemical disciplines to medical students. The research methods included pedagogical experiment, questionnaire survey, and quantitative analysis of motivation levels before and after the introduction of active forms of learning. In the experimental group (10 students), interdisciplinary case studies, problem-based learning, mini-research projects, and simulation elements connecting chemical knowledge with clinical situations were introduced. The analysis showed a significant increase in students’ intrinsic interest, professional value awareness, self-efficacy, and learning engagement compared to the control group. A decrease in anxiety levels was also recorded, indicating a positive learning environment. The results confirm the effectiveness of the motivational design model in teaching chemistry to medical students. Integrating fundamental knowledge with clinical examples enhances both subject comprehension and the formation of professional orientation among future healthcare professionals. The proposed approach can be adapted for other medical disciplines, contributing to the overall improvement of educational outcomes. Teaching chemistry in medical education institutions should be not only informative, but also motivationally oriented. The proposed motivational design model is a practical and effective solution for overcoming the barriers between theoretical and clinical knowledge.