Peer-to-peer mentorship emerges from mandatory research coursework: A social network case study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Social Network Analysis
• Research Mentorship

Background:

• Effective research training integrates coursework with peer mentorship.
• Understanding collaborative dynamics is crucial for enhancing student research productivity.

Purpose of the Study:

• Investigate peer-to-peer advice-seeking behaviors in medical students.
• Identify social mechanisms that foster collaboration and research productivity.
• Analyze factors influencing grant awards for research presentations and publications.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional surveys of 95 medical students (2016-2023).
• Interrupted time series analysis (ITS) to assess coursework impact.
• Social network analysis (SNA) to visualize advice-seeking patterns.
• Path analysis and subgroup analysis for influential factors.

Main Results:

• Grant awarding increased post-coursework implementation (ITS).
• SNA showed a shift to decentralized peer-to-peer advice-seeking.
• Group formation mediated grant awarding by 20.41%.
• Students seek advice from peers at similar educational stages, irrespective of gender or research interest.

Conclusions:

• Group formation acts as a key mediator for research productivity.
• Educators should recognize the rise of peer-to-peer mentorship and institutional policy impacts.
• Understanding advice-seeking patterns can optimize undergraduate research engagement strategies.