title: Developing a peer-mentor program for medical students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Doctoring is a 2-year preclinical course designed to teach medical students fundamental clinical skills.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We designed, implemented, and evaluated an innovative and cost-effective peer-mentoring program embedded within Doctoring. Our Teaching Academy (TA) included a formal orientation for teaching "Fellows."
  
  
  METHODS
  During academic years 2008-09 and 2009-10, 2nd-year students were systematically selected by course faculty and then trained as TA Fellows to peer-mentor 1st-year students. Both TA Fellows and 1st-year medical students completed anonymous written surveys.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Peer-mentors reported a significant increase of confidence in their ability to provide feedback (p < .001). First-year students reported a significant increase of confidence in their ability to conduct a medical interview and perform a physical exam (p < .001 for each).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Student participation in a formal peer-mentor program embedded within a clinical skills course significantly increased, for both teachers and learners, confidence in their skills. Our program is easily transferrable to other courses and institutions.
authors: Office of Medical Education, Alpert Medical School, Providence, RI 02903, USA. Julie Talor@brown.edu
authors: Julie Scott
authors: JS
authors: Taylor
authors: Salma
authors: S
authors: Faghri
authors: Nitin
authors: N
authors: Aggarwal
authors: Kimberly
authors: K
authors: Zeller
authors: Richard
authors: R
authors: Dollase
authors: Shmuel P
authors: SP
authors: Reis
mesh_terms: D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate; D006801:Humans; D008611:Mentors / Q000193:education*; D010379:Peer Group; D016730:Program Development; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States