Abstract / Summary
Abstract Self-efficacy is a relevant psychosocial variable in medical education because it may influence how students organize their learning, persist when facing academic demands, and cope with perceived difficulties. This study analyzed the relationship between perceived self-efficacy and perceived study-related difficulties among medical students in the first cycle of training, corresponding to the early stages of medical education with an emphasis on basic sciences and foundational knowledge.A correlational cross-sectional study was conducted with 118 medical students enrolled between the first and fourth semesters at a Brazilian higher education institution. Participants completed an adapted version of the Self-Efficacy in Higher Education Scale and a questionnaire addressing difficulties during study, including academic performance, content mastery, examination preparation, opportunities to clarify doubts, and time management. Descriptive statistics and Pearson bivariate correlations were calculated using Jamovi software. Bonferroni correction was applied to reduce type I error. The mean score for study difficulties was 2.13±0.74. Self-efficacy dimensions showed high mean scores, including academic self-efficacy ( 8.08 ± 1.34), self-efficacy in training regulation (8.40 ± 1.26), proactive self-efficacy (8.09 ± 1.39), social-interaction self-efficacy (8.39 ± 1.33), and academic-management self-efficacy (8.59 ± 1.31). Study difficulties were negatively correlated with all self-efficacy dimensions, especially academic self-efficacy ( r = − .530; IC 95% [-0.650; − 0.385]; R² = 0.281 ) and self-efficacy in training regulation ( r = − .414; IC 95% [− 0.553; −0.252], R² = 0.171). These findings highlight the importance of early institutional interventions focused on self-regulated learning and academic support in medical education.