Senior trainee as endoscopy teacher: impact on trainee learning and attending experience

Training in how to effectively teach endoscopy is not included in most gastroenterology (GI) training programme curricula, yet many gastroenterologists are expected to teach endoscopy in their careers. Near-peer teaching could help senior GI trainees learn how to teach endoscopy and have benefits for junior trainees. We performed a qualitative study of a peer teaching initiative where senior trainees taught endoscopy to junior trainees under attending supervision.

We observed endoscopy sessions where the senior trainee taught a junior trainee under attending supervision, and then conducted individual interviews with the senior trainee teacher, junior trainee learner and attending to characterise affordances and barriers to learning. We performed thematic analysis on anonymised interview transcripts.

10 observations and 30 interviews were completed. Junior trainees reported senior trainees more approachable than attendings and explained concepts in more understandable ways. Senior trainees reported the teaching role improved skill at both teaching and performing endoscopy. Attendings reported positive impressions of the experience for senior trainees, and generally positive impressions with some reservations of the experience for junior trainees. A few barriers to learning were reported, but they were generally perceived as being outweighed by affordances. An area for improvement was setting clear expectations for senior trainee and attending roles before the session.

Near-peer endoscopy teaching was feasible and provided perceived affordances for junior and senior trainees alike, with few barriers. Incorporating formal training in teaching endoscopy into GI training programme curricula may produce both better endoscopists and better endoscopy teachers.