Spaced learning and neuroplasticity in higher education in health sciences: strategies to strengthen knowledge retention and clinical competencies

Abstract

The training of healthcare professionals faces the challenge of ensuring that students not only acquire scientific knowledge but are also able to retain, retrieve and appropriately apply it in real clinical situations. The increasing complexity of biomedical knowledge and the current demands of healthcare practice require educational strategies that promote deeper, more stable and meaningful learning processes. Within this context, spaced learning and neuroplasticity have gained relevance by providing a broader understanding of how the brain learns, organises and consolidates information. The aim of this research was to examine the contributions of spaced learning and neuroplasticity within higher education in health sciences, considering their influence on knowledge retention and the strengthening of clinical competencies. A qualitative research approach was developed, supported by the PRISMA method, through the organised analysis of studies related to these educational strategies. The findings showed that the temporal distribution of learning promotes progressive information retrieval, strengthens memory processes and contributes to a better integration between theoretical knowledge and clinical application. It is concluded that the incorporation of neuroscientific principles into healthcare education supports more effective educational models, centred on how the brain learns and on the comprehensive preparation of future healthcare professionals.