Editorial: Medical Students and Postgraduate Trainees as Medical Educators: peer learning is everywhere

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Learning Sciences

Background:

• This special issue focuses on diverse pedagogical approaches where educators are senior students, akin to Osler's "senior student anxious to help his or her juniors."
• It expands the traditional definition of medical students and postgraduate trainees as medical educators to encompass "teaching and learning with flat hierarchies."

Discussion:

• Explores peer-assisted learning programs within clinical skills units and hospitals.
• Encourages creative interpretations of the roles of medical students and postgraduate trainees as educators.
• Includes learning that occurs in the "opposite direction," where seniors learn from juniors.

Key Insights:

• Highlights the potential of peer teaching and learning among individuals with similar experience or learning stages.
• Advocates for a broader definition of medical education that includes peer-to-peer and reverse mentorship models.
• Celebrates the value of diverse learning interactions in medical training.

Outlook:

• Invites a variety of article types, including replication studies, negative findings, pilot studies, protocols, case reports, narrative studies, and reflections.
• Aims to publish work that might not typically find an outlet in traditional medical education journals.
• Fosters an inclusive environment for innovative research and scholarly work in medical education.