title: Near-peer teaching strategy in a large human anatomy course: perceptions of near-peer instructors.
abstract: Near-peer teaching (NPT) is a strategy in which senior students assume the instructor role with junior peers (mentees). Senior students develop unique skills and knowledge through NPT, an experience which extends their learning beyond content mastery. Different teaching modules featuring NPT were utilized in the human anatomy course at the School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon in Monterrey, Mexico. Modules included: Theory, Clinical Hour, Imaging Anatomy, and Laboratory. The aim of this study was to assess instructor participants' perceptions on the benefits of the NPT strategy in the anatomy classroom. A survey was administered to anatomy course instructors who utilized NPT strategies during winter, fall, and spring semesters of the 2012-2013 school year. A total of 120 instructors were enrolled in the study. There were different perceptions of instructors' roles. Theory and Imaging Anatomy instructors considered themselves to be information providers and resource developers, whereas Clinical Hour and Laboratory instructors saw themselves more as facilitators, role models, and planners. All instructors' opinions on the benefits of NPT were positive. Thus, in this article, the authors find NPT to be a strategy that promotes self-learning, a vital skill.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Anatomy, School of Medicine, Autonomous University of Nuevo Leon, Monterrey, Mexico.
authors.forename: Cynthia Guadalupe
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Reyes-Hernández
authors.forename: Juan Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Carmona Pulido
authors.forename: Roberto Isaac
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: De la Garza Chapa
authors.forename: Ruth Patricia
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Serna Vázquez
authors.forename: Ricardo Daniel
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Alcalá Briones
authors.forename: Perla Marina
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Plasencia Banda
authors.forename: Eliud Enrique
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Villarreal Silva
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jacobo Baca
authors.forename: Oscar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: de la Garza Castro
authors.forename: Rodrigo Enrique
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Elizondo Omaña
authors.forename: Santos
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guzmán López
mesh_terms: D000715:Anatomy / Q000193:education*; D004504:Education, Medical, Undergraduate / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D009516:New Mexico; D010379:Peer Group; D010465:Perception; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: anatomy course; gross anatomy education; instructors; medical education; near-peer teaching; teaching modules; teaching strategies