Collaborative testing in physical examination skills training and the autonomous motivation of students: a qualitative study.

The most frequently mentioned themes for the collaborative testing format, namely 'interaction', 'thinking for themselves', and 'active participation', fit within the framework of self-determination theory (SDT). Therefore, the collaborative testing format may support the fulfilment of the three basic psychological needs indicated in SDT: autonomy, competence, and relatedness. Thus, our findings provide initial support for the idea that the use of collaborative testing in medical education can foster the autonomous motivation of students.