An integrated 2-year clinical skills peer tutoring scheme in a UK-based medical school: perceptions of tutees and peer tutors

• Main Authors: Khalid H, Shahid S, Punjabi N, Sahdev N
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2018-06-01
• Series: Advances in Medical Education and Practice
• Subjects: Peer-assisted; near-peer; teaching; learning; curriculum; OSCE
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/an-integrated-2-year-clinical-skills-peer-tutoring-scheme-in-a-uk-base-peer-reviewed-article-AMEP

Hesham Khalid,* Shiffa Shahid,* Nikita Punjabi,* Nikhil Sahdev* Faculty of Medicine, St George’s Hospital Medical School, London, UK *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Several benefits of peer tutoring in medical school teaching have been described. However, there is a lack of research on the perceptions of peer tutoring, particularly from tutees who partake in a long-term clinical skills scheme integrated into the medical school curriculum. This study evaluates the opinions of preclinical tutees at the end of a 2-year peer-tutored clinical skills program and peer tutors themselves.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a UK-based medical school that primarily utilizes peer tutoring for clinical skills teaching. A questionnaire was designed to assess the views of preclinical tutees and peer tutors. Likert scales were used to grade responses and comment boxes to collect qualitative data.Results: Sixty-five questionnaires were collected (52 tutees, 13 peer tutors). Seventy-nine percent of students felt satisfied with their teaching, and 70% felt adequately prepared for clinical placements. Furthermore, 79% believed that peer tutoring is the most effective method for clinical skills teaching. When compared to faculty teaching, tutees preferred being taught by peer tutors (63%), felt more confident (73%), and were more willing to engage (77%). All peer tutors felt that teaching made them more confident in their Objective Structured Clinical Examination performance, and 91% agreed that being a tutor made them consider pursuing teaching in the future. Thematic analysis of qualitative data identified 3 themes regarding peer tutoring: a more comfortable environment (69%), a more personalized teaching approach (34%), and variation in content taught (14%).Conclusion: Preclinical tutees prefer being taught clinical skills by peer tutors compared to faculty, with the peer tutors also benefitting. Studies such as this, looking at long-term schemes, further validate peer tutoring and may encourage more medical schools to adopt this method as an effective way of clinical skills teaching. Keywords: peer-assisted, near-peer, teaching, learning, curriculum, OSCE