Editorial : teaching for confidence

Abstract

Healthcare education has made substantial strides in ensuring that students develop into competent professionals. The acquisition of knowledge and technical competence have been long prioritised in healthcare education, with students being rigorously examined on their ability to recall information and perform clinical tasks. As such, healthcare curricula and educational frameworks are intentionally designed to ensure that graduates emerge as knowledgeable and competent practitioners (Monrouxe & Bloomfield, 2023). However, despite the strong emphasis on competence within healthcare education, uncertainty and hesitation remain prevalent among new graduates. Many appear to lack the professional confidence required for independent practice, even after being certified as knowledgeable, skilful, and clinically competent (Alharbi et al., 2023; Carpio et al., 2025; Najafi & Nasiri, 2023). [excerpt]