To guarantee high-quality services, healthcare professionals are required to successfully maintain their extensive knowledge base. Health professionals are expected to consistently stay up-to-date in their field, in which new knowledge is evolving continuously. Students are in a constant process of learning, which also involve searching and processes various information sources by their own initiative. On this background there is a need to understanding the SDL processes in order to effective support learners on all stages during their lifelong, self-directed, learning. We are investigated related topics in various running research projects.

We investigate the SDL processes from different perspectives:

• elements of the SDL learning process, and the resulting needs and expereinces of healthcare professionals in their daily lifes,
• elaborating technical tools supporting the learning process and needed features and functionalities,
• the view of work and organisational psychology (models and effects on individuals and systems).

Prof. Dr. med. Andreas Raabe, University clinic for neurosurgery, Insel-Hospital Bern
Prof. Dr. phil. Achim Elfering, Institute of Psychology, Department of Work and Organisational Psychology, University of Bern
Dr. phil. Jodie Freeman, Institute für Sozial und Präventivmedizin, University of Bern (2022–2023)
Linda Christa, Schulpsychologin Ebikon (Masterarbeit 2020-2021)
Noa Lindner, Bildungsprojektleiterin SBB (Masterarbeit 2021-2022)

Prof. Dr. phil. Sissel Guttormsen
Dr. med Joana Berger-Estilita
Dr. phil. Felix Schmitz
Dr. med. Benny Wohlfahrt

Joana Berger-Estilita, Linda Krista, Artemisa Gogollari, Felix Schmitz, Achim Elfering, Sissel Guttormsen (2025), Self-directed learning in health professions: A mixed-methods systematic review of the literature, in PLOS one, May 2, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0320530

Freeman, J., Raabe, A., Schmitz, F., Guttormsen, S. (2024). How neurosurgeons maintain and update their professional knowledge in a self-directed learning context. BMC Med Educ 24, 763 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05692-9

Wohlfahrt B., Linder N., Schmitz F.M., Hari R., Elfering, A., Guttormsen, S. (2024). 
Self-directed learning among general practitioners in the German-speaking part of Switzerland: a qualitative study using semi-structured interviews: Did habits change under recent technological shifts? Swiss Medical Weekly, 154, 7, 154:3436.
https://smw.ch/index.php/smw/article/view/3436

Freeman, Jodie; Raabe, Andreas; Schmitz, Felix; Guttormsen, Sissel (2019). Lifelong self-directed learning in the digital age: an orientation of current software tools supporting experts in maintaining and updating their knowledge. In: Sampson, Demetrios G.; Ifenthaler, Dirk; Isaías, Pedro; Mascia, Maria Lidia (eds.) CELDA 2019. 16th International Conference on Cognition and Exploratory Learning in Digital Age. Proceedings (pp. 443-446). Cagliari, Italy: IADIS Press, ISBN 978-989-8533-93-7

Master-Thesis psychology: Noa Miranda Linder (2022).
Selbstgesteuertes Lernen bei Hausärzt:innen in der COVID-19 Pandemie
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Sissel Guttormsen, Dr. Felix Schmitz, IML, Universität Bern
Submitted to: Prof. Achim Elfering, Institut für Psychologie, Abteilung für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie, Universität Bern

Master-Thesis psychology: Linda Krista (2021).
Self-Directed Learning in Health Professions: a Systematic PRISMA Review
Thesis Advisor: Prof. Sissel Guttormsen, Dr. Felix Schmitz, IML, Universität Bern
Submitted to: Prof. Achim Elfering, Institut für Psychologie, Abteilung für Arbeits- und Organisationspsychologie, Universität Bern