Undergraduate Medical Students Using Facebook as a Peer-Mentoring Platform: A Mixed-Methods Study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Social Media in Education
• Peer Mentoring

Background:

• Peer mentoring is a valuable pedagogical strategy for medical students.
• The precise nature and social media utilization for peer mentoring among medical students require clarification.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and explore the use of Facebook by undergraduate medical students in their initial two years at a German medical school.
• To inform medical educators on integrating social media into formal student mentoring programs.

Main Methods:

• A mixed-methods study was conducted.
• A coding scheme for peer mentoring was developed to analyze Facebook groups of medical students.

Main Results:

• Peer mentoring activities were identified within medical students' Facebook groups.
• Extensive Facebook use was observed, with 11,853 posts and comments from 2,362 members.
• Activity peaks correlated with academic milestones like semester starts and exams.

Conclusions:

• Peer mentoring is actively practiced in Facebook groups by undergraduate medical students, particularly for academic and exam preparation advice.
• These groups demonstrate effectiveness in supporting responsive, large-scale peer-mentoring.
• Formal mentoring programs could enhance their offerings by incorporating social media strategies.