Near-peer teaching in a required third-year clerkship

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Peer Teaching
• Clinical Skills Training

Background:

• Near-peer teachers, students teaching less experienced peers, are effective in preclinical medical education.
• Previous research supports near-peer effectiveness in anatomy and physical examination courses.
• The efficacy of near-peer teaching in clinical clerkships remains largely unexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness of near-peer teachers in a clinical clerkship setting.
• To evaluate third-year medical students' perceptions of near-peer instruction.
• To explore the potential of near-peer educators in ambulatory medicine rotations.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study involving near-peer educators was conducted.
• Near-peer teachers received a training session on a problem-focused skills curriculum.
• Third-year medical students were taught by near-peer teachers during an ambulatory medicine rotation.

Main Results:

• Third-year students rated near-peer teachers highly on an absolute scale.
• Near-peer teachers received comparable or higher ratings than faculty instructors.
• The study demonstrated positive reception of near-peer teaching in a clinical context.

Conclusions:

• Near-peer teaching appears to be an appropriate and effective method for clinical clerkships.
• The findings support the further investigation and potential integration of near-peer educators in clinical training.
• Near-peer instruction offers a promising avenue for enhancing medical education in clinical settings.