Introduction
Near-peer teaching is a strategy in which senior students or residents assume the instructor role with junior students. Its use in the context of anatomy courses has been shown to be effective for the acquisition of knowledge and skills for learners, and in reinforcing the teaching skills of near-peer instructors.
A problem-based, hands-on bedside ultrasound course for undergraduate medical students was implemented at McGill University in 2013 with this framework. Some senior medical students and residents who have demonstrated bedside ultrasound skills participated as near-peer instructors after receiving customized tutorials from the course director.
Objectives
To compare the perceptions of student learners towards near-peer vs. faculty instructors in an undergraduate bedside ultrasound course and to document the perceptions of near-peer instructors on their skills in near-peer teaching.
Methods
We carried out a cross-sectional survey of first year medical students in a bedside ultrasound course in the undergraduate medical curriculum at McGill University. One questionnaire was distributed to those that attended the course as near-peer learners, and a different questionnaire was distributed to residents and medical students who participated in the course as near-peer instructors. The questionnaires mirrored each other in their content and were designed to evaluate perception of near peer-teaching in context of ultrasound training in four aspects: 1) knowledge and skills, 2) preparedness, 3) motivation, and 4) communication. Questionnaires were distributed as a web-based survey via an internal mailing list for first year medical students. Participation for both forms of the survey were anonymous and voluntary.
Study Population
The study population was first year medical students at McGill University (class of 2019) (n=184), as well as students/residents who participated as near-peer instructors for the course (n=21). Practicing physicians were excluded from this study. Students and residents who did not attend the course were also be excluded from the study.
Data Analysis
Our data was collected using “Survey Monkey.” Data were entered into an electronic database using Microsoft Excel. Likert scale answers were summarized by a mean value and were compared using t-test, p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. We also had a comment section and will include common themes in our results.
Results
Currently, 52.7% of learners and 90.5% of instructors have responded to the survey. The majority of near-peer instructors (100%) and learners (93.8%) found the near-peer teaching experience to be “favourable” or “very favourable”. Near-peer instructors felt that teaching the course improved their skills in all areas surveyed, including knowledge of the subject matter (3.79 vs. 4.79; p-value <0.05), technical skills (3.79 vs. 4.48; p-value <0.05), and teaching ability (3.58 vs. 4.42; p-value <0.05).
Learners felt that near-peer instructors were superior to faculty instructors in establishing rapport with the students (4.61 vs. 4.41; p-value of 0.04) and were equivalent to faculty in course preparation (4.70 vs. 4.78; p-value of 0.3), teaching skills (4.51 vs. 4.64 with a p-value of 0.1), ability to stimulate interest (4.61 vs. 4.62; p-value of 0.9), and ability to make students feel comfortable when asking questions (4.64 vs. 4.48; p-value of 0.09). Frequent comments regarding these parameters were that near-peer instructors were easily approachable, supportive, taught complex concepts in a simplistic way and could relate to learners.
Learners felt that faculty instructors were superior to near-peer instructors in knowledge of the subject matter (4.89 vs. 4.60; p-value <0.05). Frequent comments included: faculty had more experience, took less time to obtain good images, and were able to give specific clinical examples and answers to more advanced questions.
Conclusions
Near-peer instructors felt that their ultrasound skills, knowledge, and teaching ability improved by participating in the near-peer teaching program. Learners felt that near-peer instructors were superior to faculty instructors in establishing rapport with the students and were equivalent to faculty instructors in course preparation, teaching skills, ability to stimulate interest, and ability to make student feel comfortable when asking questions. Learners felt that faculty instructors were superior to near-peer instructors in knowledge of the subject. Overall, the vast majority of near-peer instructors and learners found the near-peer experience favourable.
