Near-peer bedside clinical teaching: example of a successful programme

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Teaching
• Undergraduate Medical Training

Background:

• Traditional medical education begins formal teaching at senior trainee levels.
• Junior trainee teaching has historically been informal and limited.
• A pilot program introduced structured bedside clinical teaching by interns to final-year medical students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a pilot program where interns provided structured bedside clinical teaching.
• To assess the reception and effectiveness of this adjunct teaching method.
• To explore the benefits for both students and junior trainees.

Main Methods:

• A pilot program and its successor were implemented in a university teaching hospital.
• Feedback was collected using a five-point Likert scale.
• Open-ended comments were gathered to supplement quantitative data.

Main Results:

• The initial program received a highly positive response from final-year students.
• Students expressed enthusiasm for participating as teachers in subsequent years.
• Some trainees took initiative to run and improve the program.

Conclusions:

• Junior trainees can effectively organize and deliver supplementary clinical bedside teaching.
• This program serves as a well-received alternative to traditional undergraduate teaching.
• It offers a platform for trainees to refine teaching methodologies and clinical skills.