Implementing Peer Learning in Clinical Education: A Framework to Address Challenges In the "Real World"

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Peer learning offers significant benefits for developing essential skills in future educators.
• Clinical learning environments present unique challenges, with students often feeling unsupported.
• Educational interventions frequently fail in real-world settings due to a disconnect from practical complexities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the barriers and facilitators to implementing peer learning activities within a clinical curriculum.
• To identify practical strategies for integrating peer learning in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• Clinical education experts engaged in discussions based on prior peer learning research and empirically derived activities.
• Individual interviews focused on potential barriers, limitations, and strategies for peer learning implementation in clinical education.

Main Results:

• Thematic analysis revealed three critical factors for real-world peer learning: culture, epistemic authority, and patient-centered care.
• Implementation strategies emphasize fostering a culture of safety, engaging educators and students, and setting clear expectations.
• Identified challenges align with existing literature, and a framework was developed to anticipate implementation hurdles.

Conclusions:

• Successful peer learning implementation in clinical settings necessitates careful consideration of institutional culture and established hierarchies.
• Developing a supportive environment and clear guidelines is crucial for effective peer learning integration.
• The proposed framework can assist in navigating implementation challenges, though further validation in diverse contexts is needed.