Medical students-as-teachers: a systematic review of peer-assisted teaching during medical school

Abstract

IntroductionInternational interest in peer-teaching and peer-assisted learning (PAL) during undergraduate medical programs has grown in recent years, reflected both in literature and in practice. There, remains however, a distinct lack of objective clarity and consensus on the true effectiveness of peer-teaching and its short- and long-term impacts on learning outcomes and clinical practice.ObjectiveTo summarize and critically appraise evidence presented on peer-teaching effectiveness and its impact on objective learning outcomes of medical students.MethodA literature search was conducted in four electronic databases. Titles and abstracts were screened and selection was based on strict eligibility criteria after examining full-texts. Two reviewers used a standard review and analysis framework to independently extract data from each study. Discrepancies in opinions were resolved by discussion in consultation with other reviewers. Adapted models of “Kirkpatrick’s Levels of Learning” were used to grade the impact size of study outcomes.ResultsFrom 127 potential titles, 41 were obtained as full-texts, and 19 selected after close examination and group deliberation. Fifteen studies focused on student-learner outcomes and four on student-teacher learning outcomes. Ten studies utilized randomized allocation and the majority of study participants were self-selected volunteers. Written examinations and observed clinical evaluations were common study outcome assessments. Eleven studies provided student-teachers with formal teacher training. Overall, results suggest that peer-teaching, in highly selective contexts, achieves short-term learner outcomes that are comparable with those produced by faculty-based teaching. Furthermore, peer-teaching has beneficial effects on student-teacher learning outcomes.ConclusionsPeer-teaching in undergraduate medical programs is comparable to conventional teaching when utilized in selected contexts. There is evidence to suggest that participating student-teachers benefit academically and professionally. Long-term effects of peer-teaching during medical school remain poorly understood and future research should aim to address this.

Ef cient and Effective Use of Peer Teaching for Medical Student Simulation

“…Researchers have suggested a number of reasons why student-led teaching is effective 8. It is possible that peers explain ideas in a more relatable way that fellow students can easily understand.…”

“…In addition, ethical questions are raised around the traditional practice of “see one, do one, teach one.”3 In order to maintain high-quality education in a safe environment, simulation has become increasingly important in medical education. Simulation has the advantage of introducing students to serious clinical conditions in a standardized and non-threatening manner2 without involving actual patients and provides an environment for students to gain practice teaching,4–8 which also increases their knowledge retention 9. The benefits of simulation in medical education have been well documented 2,10,11.…”

Prevention and health promotion from theory to practice: The interprofessional MeMPE Summer University for students of Medicine, Master of Public Health and Epidemiology

“…In particular, the content of the competency domains “interprofessional communication” and “teamwork” are incorporated in the MeMPE Summer University [Retrieved May 1, 2016 from http://www.aacn.nche.edu/education-resources/ipecreport.pdf]. Furthermore, the didactic concepts of peer teaching and mentoring are integrated in the project [5], [6], [7]. …”

Medical Students Satisfaction from Peer Advising in an Integrated Problem Based Learning Curriculum: a Cross Sectional Study

“…Interest in peer-teaching also commonly known as Peer-Assisted learning (PAL) is growing in the field of medical and allied health education [1]. In theory, advocates of peer-teaching and PAL suggest that its success lies in the fact that peer-teachers share a similar knowledge base and learning experience of their peers "cognitive congruence", which allows the peer-teachers to use language that their peers understand and to explain concepts at an appropriate level [2].…”

“…It includes enhanced cognitive, psychomotor and affective development of students participating in this collegial collaborative behavior [1].…”