Introduction:

According to the experiential learning theory, each person develops a learning style that characterizes his/her preferred way to acquire and transform experiences to create knowledge. The objective of this study was to identify the learning styles of undergraduate medical students.

Methods:

The Kolb Learning Style Inventory was applied to first-year medical students at the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bogotá, Colombia) during the second period of 2009.

Results:

204 students completed the questionnaire (the average age was 18.5 years; 55% were women). Students preferred the abstract styles of learning, including assimilating (47%) and converging (27%) styles.

Conclusions:

Having information about medical students learning style preferences can help educators to design teaching strategies that promote a more effective learning. Teachers should provide a variety of learning contexts to stimulate the strengthening of their abilities.

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