Effectiveness Of Horizontal Peer-Assisted Learning In Physical Examination Performance

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Training
• Undergraduate Curriculum

Background:

• Faculty and time constraints limit individualized physical examination skills training for students.
• Peer-assisted learning (PAL) presents a potential solution for integrating skills training into undergraduate curricula.
• The effectiveness of horizontal PAL models in this context requires empirical investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of horizontal peer-assisted learning (PAL) versus expert-assisted learning (EAL) for teaching physical examination skills.
• To evaluate PAL as a standalone strategy in undergraduate medical education.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial using a Solomon four-group design with 120 fifth-year medical students.
• Students were randomized into two groups: expert-assisted learning (EAL) and peer-assisted learning (PAL).
• Training covered four physical examination areas, with post-test assessment via OSCE and statistical analysis using t-tests.

Main Results:

• Peer-assisted learning (PAL) group achieved significantly higher mean post-test scores (85.27±5.6) compared to the expert-assisted learning (EAL) group (69.98±5.6) (p=.000).
• No significant difference in mean scores was observed between students who received a pre-test and those who did not (p=.977).

Conclusions:

• Horizontal peer-assisted learning (PAL) is an effective strategy that can replace expert-assisted learning (EAL) for teaching clinical skills.
• Findings support the integration of PAL into undergraduate medical curricula for physical examination training.
• This study provides quantitative evidence for PAL's efficacy in clinical skills acquisition.