The Use of Retrieval Practice in the Health Professions: A State-of-the-Art Review
Michael J. Serra, Althea Need Kaminske, Cynthia Nebel, Kristen M. Coppola
Abstract
Retrieval practice, or the active recall of information from memory, is a highly effective learning strategy that strengthens memory and comprehension. This effect is robust and strongly backed by research in cognitive psychology. The health professions-including medicine, nursing, and dentistry-have widely embraced retrieval practice as a learning and study tool, particularly for course exams and high-stakes licensing exams. This state-of-the-art review examines the historical development, current applications, and future directions for the use of retrieval practice in health professions education. While retrieval-based learning has long been used informally in these fields, its formal recognition as a scientifically supported study method gained momentum in the early 2000s and then saw a surge in both research interest and curricular adoption between 2010 and 2025. This historical review explores the key factors driving this growth, such as its alignment with assessment-driven education and the increasing availability of third-party study resources that rely on retrieval practice as a guiding principle. Despite its proven benefits for learning, however, barriers persist to its adoption by students, including in the health professions. This article discusses strategies for overcoming these challenges and for enhancing retrieval practice integration into health professions curricula.