Tomorrow's educators … today? Implementing near-peer teaching for medical students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Higher Education Pedagogy
• Student Teaching

Background:

• The University of Adelaide's six-year undergraduate medical program utilizes small group learning.
• Senior medical students lacked formal training in education skills, representing an untapped teaching resource.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create and assess a program exposing senior medical students to university teaching responsibilities.
• To evaluate the program's impact on both near-peer tutors (NPTs) and junior medical students.

Main Methods:

• A six-week medical education rotation was implemented for final-year medical students in 2010.
• Students served as near-peer tutors (NPTs) in the first and second-year medical curriculum, involved in development, delivery, and assessment.

Main Results:

• Junior students (n=358) found NPTs created non-threatening environments, offered valuable feedback, and served as role models.
• NPTs (n=24) reported knowledge consolidation, improved teaching skills, and increased interest in future teaching roles.

Conclusions:

• Implementing NPTs benefits both junior medical students and their near-peer colleagues.
• This rotation fosters interest in academic careers and equips senior students with transferable skills for future professional practice.