Examining differences between P1 versus P2 students as teaching assistants in a P1 skills-based course

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Skills-based Learning
• Teaching Assistant Roles

Background:

• Teaching assistants (TAs) play a crucial role in skills-based pharmacy courses.
• The effectiveness of peer (first-year) versus near-peer (second-year) TAs in these roles requires evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the performance of first-year (peer) and second-year (near-peer) teaching assistants in a first-year pharmacy skills course.
• To determine if student perception or TA grading accuracy differs between peer and near-peer TAs.

Main Methods:

• A skills-based practicum course assessed student competence in screening and counseling.
• Teaching assistants (TAs) evaluated students using a rubric, with both qualitative and quantitative data collected.
• Student perceptions of TA performance and TA grading accuracy were analyzed.

Main Results:

• Sixteen peer and 33 near-peer TAs were evaluated by 210 students across six skill assessments.
• No significant differences were found in student perceptions of TA performance.
• No significant differences were observed in the TAs' grading of student performance.

Conclusions:

• Peer and near-peer TAs demonstrate comparable effectiveness in evaluating first-year pharmacy students in skills-based courses.
• The utilization of peer TAs can be a practical solution for managing scheduling and resource constraints.
• Findings suggest flexibility in TA selection without compromising educational quality.