title: Undergraduate technical skills training guided by student tutors--analysis of tutors' attitudes, tutees' acceptance and learning progress in an innovative teaching model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Skills labs provide a sheltered learning environment. As close supervision and individual feedback were proven to be important in ensuring effective skills training, we implemented a cross-year peer tutor system in our skills lab of internal medicine that allowed intense training sessions with small learning groups (3-4 students) taught by one student tutor.
  
  
  METHODS
  The expectations, experiences and criticisms of peer tutors regarding the tutor system for undergraduate skills lab training were investigated in the context of a focus group. In addition, tutees' acceptance of this learning model and of their student tutors was evaluated by means of a pre/post web-based survey.
  
  
  RESULTS
  14 voluntary senior students were intensely prepared by consultants for their peer tutor activity. 127 students participated in the project, 66.9% of which responded to the web-based survey (23 topics with help of 6-point Likert scale + free comments). Acceptance was very high (5.69 +/- 0.07, mean +/- SEM), and self-confidence ratings increased significantly after the intervention for each of the trained skills (average 1.96 +/- 0.08, all p < 0.002). Tutors received high global ratings (5.50 +/- 0.07) and very positive anonymous individual feedback from participants. 82% of tutees considered the peer teaching model to be sufficient, and a mere 1% expressed the wish for skills training to be provided by faculty staff only. Focus group analyses with tutors revealed 18 different topics, including profit in personal knowledge and personal satisfaction through teaching activities. The ratio of 1:4 tutor/tutees was regarded to be very beneficial for effective feedback, and the personalized online evaluation by tutees to be a strong motivator and helpful for further improvements. The tutors ascribed great importance to the continuous availability of a contact doctor in case of uncertainties.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrates that peer teaching in undergraduate technical clinical skills training is feasible and widely accepted among tutees, provided that the tutors receive sufficient training and supervision.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine IV (Diabetes, Endocrinology, Angiology, Nephrology and Clinical Chemistry), University Hospital of Tübingen, Germany. peter.weyrich@med.uni-tuebingen.de
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Weyrich
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schrauth
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kraus
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Habermehl
authors.forename: Nicolai
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Netzhammer
authors.forename: Stephan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zipfel
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jünger
authors.forename: Reimer
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Riessen
authors.forename: Christoph
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nikendei
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D004522:Educational Status; D005180:Faculty, Medical; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D017145:Models, Educational; D010379:Peer Group; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D013663:Teaching