Peer Mentoring by Medical Students for Medical Students: A Scoping Review

Medical school transitions pose challenges for students. Mentoring programs may aid students, but evidence supporting peer/near-peer mentoring in medical school is unclear. Our review explores peer mentoring's benefits, elements for success and challenges. Searches in major databases yielded 1676 records, resulting in 20 eligible studies involving 4591 participants. Longitudinal (n = 15) and shorter, focused programs were examined. Mentors and mentees reported psychosocial, professional and academic benefits. Essential elements included matching, orientation and clear goals, with training crucial yet balanced to avoid mentor overload. Social congruence underpinned successful peer mentoring, particularly benefiting under-represented groups. Challenges include balancing mentor load and logistics.