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Using Near-Peer Teaching to Address Concepts of Cystic Fibrosis in Undergraduate Medical Learners.

ABSTRACT: Introduction:Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a high-yield undergraduate medical education topic that lends itself to adaptability of content. We used a CF case paired with activities to deliver content in a near-peer teaching session. First-year (M1) and second-year (M2) medical students contributed acquired knowledge of protein structure and obstructive lung disease, respectively, to generate a concept map and address discussion questions. Methods:Combined groups of M1 and M2 students reviewed a CF case and a concept map prompt. For 30 minutes, they created a concept map describing connections between molecular biology and clinical manifestations. We summarized by reviewing concept maps and discussion questions. The efficacy of the session was determined by comparing exam performance of class attenders and nonattenders (M2) and performance on questions related and unrelated to the exercise (M1). We also determined students' perception of the session and incorporation of additional core competencies. Results:M2 students' performance was 3.8% higher (p = .296) and M1 students' performance was 1.8% higher (p = .286) than their respective controls. Students commented positively on the exercise and perceived more than one core competency as part of the session. Discussion:Although there was no significant improvement in exam performance, this curriculum used near-peer teaching to reinforce previously learned material and apply recently acquired material in an engaging format without detriment to either group. This method can be adapted to different learner groups and provides an opportunity to deliver and assess other core medical competencies.

SUBMITTER: LeClair RJ

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7453652 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Using Near-Peer Teaching to Address Concepts of Cystic Fibrosis in Undergraduate Medical Learners.

LeClair Renée J RJ Binks Andrew P AP

MedEdPORTAL : the journal of teaching and learning resources 20200828

<h4>Introduction</h4>Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a high-yield undergraduate medical education topic that lends itself to adaptability of content. We used a CF case paired with activities to deliver content in a near-peer teaching session. First-year (M1) and second-year (M2) medical students contributed acquired knowledge of protein structure and obstructive lung disease, respectively, to generate a concept map and address discussion questions.<h4>Methods</h4>Combined groups of M1 and M2 students re ...[more]

PMID: 32875098

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Project description:BackgroundNear-peer teaching (NPT) is becoming an increasingly popular pedagogical tool in health professions education. Despite the shift in formal medical education from face-to-face teaching toward encompassing web-based learning activities, NPT has not experienced a similar transition. Apart from the few reports on NPT programs hastily converted to web-based learning in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, no studies to date have explored web-based learning in the specific context of NPT.ObjectiveThis qualitative study examined the nature of interactions among peer learners (PLs), peer teachers (PTs), and the learning content in a student-led, web-based NPT program for medical students.MethodsA 5-month-long voluntary NPT program to support first- and second-year medical students' biomedical science learning in the undergraduate medical curriculum was designed by 2 senior-year medical students and delivered by 25 PTs with 84 PLs participating. In total, 9 PLs and 3 PTs underwent individual semistructured interviews at the end of the program to explore general NPT experience, reasons for joining NPT, the effectiveness of NPT, the demand and importance of NPT, and the feasibility of incorporating NPT in the formal curriculum. Interview transcripts were analyzed using a thematic analysis approach.ResultsThe first general theme focused on the nature of student-student, student-teacher, and student-content interactions. Although PLs were engaged in web-based NPT, there was minimal interaction between students, as most PLs preferred to learn passively and remain anonymous. PLs believed the web-based NPT learning process to be a unidirectional transmission of knowledge from teacher to learner, with the teacher responsible for driving the interactions. This was in sharp contrast to PTs' expectation that both parties shared responsibility for learning in a collaborative effort. The second general theme identified the advantages and disadvantages of delivering NPT on a web platform, which were mainly convenience and teaching skills development and poor interactivity, respectively.ConclusionsStudent-led, web-based NPT offers a flexible and comfortable means of delivering academic and nonacademic guidance to medical students. However, the web-based mode of delivery presents unique challenges in facilitating meaningful interactions among PLs, PTs, and subject content. A blended learning approach may be best suited for this form of student-led NPT program to optimize its efficacy.

Project description:Background and aimsThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic stimulated a paradigm shift in medical and surgical education from in-person teaching to online teaching. It is unclear whether an in-person or online approach to surgical teaching for medical students is superior. We aim to compare the outcomes of in-person versus online surgical teaching in generating interest in and improving knowledge of surgery in medical students. We also aim the quantify the impact of a peer-run surgical teaching course.MethodsA six-session course was developed by medical students and covered various introductory surgical topics. The first iteration was offered online to 70 UK medical students in March 2021, and the second iteration was in-person for 20 students in November 2021. Objective and subjective knowledge was assessed through questionnaires before and after each session, and also for the entire course. Data were analyzed from this mixed-methods study to compare the impact of online versus in-person teaching on surgical knowledge and engagement.ResultsStudents in both iterations showed significant improvement of 33%-282% across the six sessions in knowledge and confidence after completing the course (p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in the level of objective knowledge, enjoyment, or organization of the course between online and in-person groups, although the in-person course was rated as more engaging (mean Likert score 9.1 vs. 9.7, p = 0.033).DiscussionSimilar objective and subjective surgical teaching outcomes were achieved in both iterations, including in "hands-on" topics such as suturing, gowning, and gloving. Students who completed the online course did not have any lower knowledge or confidence in their surgical skills; however, the in-person course was reported to be more engaging. Surgical teaching online and in-person may be similarly effective and can be delivered according to what is most convenient for the circumstances, such as in COVID-19.

Project description:BACKGROUND:Basic medical skills such as history taking and physical examination are essential components of clinical work profiles, but nevertheless have been neglected by conventional preclinical curricula. The near-peer-teaching program AaLplus [living anatomy plus] teaches basic medical skills, especially history taking, physical examination, and venepuncture, to preclinical students. It is a highly popular compulsory course in the first four semesters (320 students/year, 9h/semester) at Heidelberg University and ends with a formative Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) during which students receive structured in-depth feedback on their performance. AaLplus is part of the Department of General Practice's longitudinal curriculum for Family Medicine. OBJECTIVES:This study aims to assess whether the AaLplus program has positive effects on students' clinical skill development and subjective confidence in history taking, physical examination and venepuncture. METHODS:From 2015 to 2019, we asked all AaLplus participants to rate the program and self-assess their medical skills on 5-point Likert scales (min 1, max 5). In 4-station OSCEs, trained tutors rated the students' performance in all taught skills using standardized checklists. RESULTS:From 2015 to 2019 n = 1534 questionnaires returned (response rate = 98.6%, 52.7% females). After course completion, students felt able to take a patient's history (mean 3.97, SD = 0.75) and perform physical examinations (means range 3.82-4.36, SDs range 0.74-0.89) as well as venepuncture (mean 4.12, SD = 0.88). A large majority of students claimed they acquired these skills in the AaLplus program. During OSCE, 81.9% passed anamnesis, 93.1% passed physical examination, and 95.4% passed venepuncture (of n = 1556). Students mostly rated the feedback they received during the OSCE as "helpful" or "very helpful" (means for different stations 4.69-4.76, SDs 0.50-0.70). CONCLUSIONS:AaLplus is a positive example of a peer teaching program in the preclinical stage of medical studies. It successfully trains junior students in essential medical abilities and increases their confidence in their skills. A high percentage of students pass the formative OSCE and evaluate it positively. Consistently high ratings indicate the program's routine viability. Further studies are needed to analyze if programs like AaLplus could have an impact on the number of graduates choosing career in Family Medicine.

Dataset Information

Using Near-Peer Teaching to Address Concepts of Cystic Fibrosis in Undergraduate Medical Learners.

Publications

Using Near-Peer Teaching to Address Concepts of Cystic Fibrosis in Undergraduate Medical Learners.

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