Abstract: Objective To explore the current status of self-directed learning abilities among medical students and its correlation with subjective well-being,in order to provide a theoretical basis for enhancing self-directed learning abilities in medical students. Method From October to December 2023,a questionnaire survey was conducted among 1 809 undergraduate students from the first to fifth year in two medical colleges located in Shanghai on the east coast of China and Urumqi on the west inland using a simple random sampling method. The self-directed learning scale was used to assess the students' self-directed learning abilities,while the adolescent student life satisfaction scale and the happiness scale were utilized to evaluate their subjective well-being.A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to analyze the correlation between medical students' self-directed learning abilities and their subjective well-being. Results Among the students who participated in the survey,555 were male,accounting for 30.7%,and 1254 were female,accounting for 69.3%. There were 1114 freshmen,accounting for 61.6%,395 sophomores,accounting for 21.8%,123 juniors,accounting for 6.8%,and 177 seniors and above,accounting for 9.8%.Female students had higher self-directed learning abilitiesscores[(75.02±15.90)points] than male students[(70.33±18.82)points], urban household students had higher self-directed learning abilities scores[(74.80±17.29)points] than rural household students[(71.33±16.16)points], the self -directed learning abilities scores of Urumqi students[(10.85±2.98)points] were higher than those of Shanghai students [(10.39±3.27)points](all P<0.05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the school(β=0.363,95%CI：0.243-0.482)and environment(β=0.335,95%CI：0.090-0.621) scores in the adolescent student life satisfaction scale were positively correlated with the self-directed learning abilities of medical students,and the positive emotion score in the happiness scale(β=0.242,95%CI：0.132-0.360)was positively correlated with the self-directed learning abilities of medical students,while the negative emotion score(β=-0.404,95%CI：-0.471--0.323) was negatively correlated with the self-directed learning abilities of medical students. Conclusion The self-directed learning abilities is closely related to the subjective well-being of medical students,and these findings are of great significance for understanding and improving medical education,especially in promoting students' overall well-being and academic achievement.

Key words: Medical students, Self-directed learning abilities, Subjective well-being