Developing junior doctor-delivered teaching

There are increasing opportunities for junior doctors to deliver teaching as well as formally develop teaching skills. Near-peer teaching (NPT) programmes, like that established in South-East Scotland, not only provide additional learning opportunities for students but also have potential benefits for the teachers.

Achieving the multiple competencies required of both the medical school and the foundation programme poses significant challenges. Medical students have reduced exposure to bedside teaching, which may be contributing to the concerns raised regarding the clinical skills of recently graduated junior doctors. NPT increases the pool of tutors available to students, helps facilitate both practical and small group teaching and has other advantages, such as peer tutors being more approachable than senior staff.

The NPT programme in South-East Scotland was devised by a group of junior doctors keen to improve, expand and formalise NPT. It started in 2006 as one NPT programme, with 73 tutorials delivered by 18 tutors. Last year across four NPT programmes, 324 tutorials were delivered by 108 tutors, with all tutors receiving formal tutor training. In this article we describe the South-East Scotland model, and offer guidance for those interested in setting up similar programmes elsewhere.

NPT, delivered by trained junior doctors, is now well established in every hospital in South-East Scotland. Our NPT model facilitates evidence-based teaching by junior doctors, is popular amongst both junior doctors and students, is sustainable and can be used as a practical example for how to generate NPT programmes elsewhere.