10th anniversary: The development, implementation, and evaluation of a novel peer-assisted learning (PAL) program

Area of Science:

• Pharmacy Education
• Pedagogical Innovations
• Higher Education Learning

Background:

• Traditional tutoring models may not fully address diverse student needs in pharmacy programs.
• Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL) offers a complementary approach to enhance student support.
• The Student Educational Assistance (SEA) program has been integrated into a US pharmacy school for ten years.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, and sustainability of the SEA peer-assisted learning program.
• To assess the impact of PAL on Doctor of Pharmacy students' confidence and performance.
• To explore student perceptions of the SEA program's utility in supplementing their studies.

Main Methods:

• Administrative data identified the target student population.
• A Qualtrics survey collected quantitative and qualitative data on student background, learning preferences, and program experiences.
• Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, while qualitative data underwent thematic analysis.

Main Results:

• A 63.5% survey response rate (113/178) was achieved from students utilizing SEA materials.
• 81% of respondents reported increased confidence before exams, and 69% perceived improved assessment performance.
• Qualitative feedback emphasized SEA's role in clarifying knowledge gaps and aiding memorization through active recall.

Conclusions:

• Integrating diverse PAL modalities into pharmacy curricula can boost student confidence and perceived assessment performance.
• The analyzed SEA program demonstrates feasibility, effectiveness, and sustainability.
• PAL programs represent a valuable addition to pharmacy education, supporting student learning beyond traditional methods.