The outcomes and acceptability of near-peer teaching among medical students in clinical skills.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the outcomes and acceptability of final-year students tutoring in Clinical Skills to Years 1-2 students in a 4-week Medical Education elective.


METHODS
A paper-based survey with 14 questions requiring responses on a Likert-like scale and 2 questions with free-text responses was used to investigate Year 6 student-tutor (n=45) and Years 1-2 tutee (n=348) perceptions of near-peer teaching in Clinical Skills. The independent t-test compared mean responses from student-tutors and tutees, and thematic analysis of free-text responses was conducted.


RESULTS
Tutee perceptions were significantly higher than student-tutor self-perceptions in small-group teaching and facilitation skills (p=0.000), teaching history-taking skills (p=0.046) and teaching physical examination skills (p=0.000). Perceptions in aspects of 'Confidence in tutoring' were not significantly different for student-tutors and tutees, with both having lowest perceptions for identifying and providing remediation for underperforming tutees. Student-tutors rated all areas of personal and professional development highly. Main themes emerging from analysis of student comments were the benefits to student-tutors, benefits to tutees and areas needing improvement, with outcomes of this near-peer teaching relating well to cognitive and social theories in the literature.


CONCLUSIONS
Both student tutors and their tutees perceived near-peer teaching in Clinical Skills to be acceptable and beneficial with particular implications for Medical Education.
School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Carole
C
Khaw
School of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, The University of Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Lynne
L
Raw
D002983:Clinical Competence; D003479:Curriculum; D004501:Education, Medical / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D010379:Peer Group; D013337:Students, Medical; D013663:Teaching
Australia; clinical teaching; medical education; near-peer; student perceptions; undergraduate