Peer-Assisted Learning (PAL): Perceptions and Wellness of First-Year Medical Students

A peer‐led kinesthetic forearm and wrist anatomy workshop: A multiple cohort study

“…Encouraging students to seek help from colleagues has both personal and professional benefits. Williams et al 9 found that a PAL workshop improved medical students' perceived knowledge, self‐efficacy, and wellness. Furthermore, near‐peer tutors are able to empathize with more junior students and contribute to students' resiliency 9,29,30 …”

“…Additional studies have demonstrated that the informal environment commonly provided by PAL puts students at ease and can support improved academic performance 8 . Alongside other activities that promote medical student mental health and well‐being, PAL has been studied as an intervention that may improve learner wellness 9 . While one study demonstrated a significant increase in academic performance after students attended peer‐to‐peer small group sessions to learn limb anatomy, other studies have not been able to demonstrate statistical significance or did not attempt to measure academic improvement 10,11 .…”

“…8 Alongside other activities that promote medical student mental health and well-being, PAL has been studied as an intervention that may improve learner wellness. 9 While one study demonstrated a significant increase in academic performance after students attended peer-to-peer small group sessions to learn limb anatomy, other studies have not been able to demonstrate statistical significance or did not attempt to measure academic improvement. 10,11 A review of the literature revealed many studies reporting a single PAL intervention, 3,10,12 and a paucity of studies with repeated evaluations over multiple cohorts.…”

Peer-Assisted Learning in Undergraduate Medical Education for Resilience and Well-being

“…Medical students and physicians experience a high rate of burnout, suicide, mental health, and substance use disorders, and peers provide support for assisting with these challenges through modalities such as peer-assisted learning (PAL) [1]. Numerous studies support the effectiveness of PAL models in medical education that (1) encourages a safe learning environment, influencing the depth of learning that takes place; (2) fosters the development of close relationships with peer-tutors with whom learners share a strong sense of shared mission; and (3) enables peer-coaches to feel equipped to understand their trainees' wider sociocultural context [2].…”

“…Numerous studies support the effectiveness of PAL models in medical education that (1) encourages a safe learning environment, influencing the depth of learning that takes place; (2) fosters the development of close relationships with peer-tutors with whom learners share a strong sense of shared mission; and (3) enables peer-coaches to feel equipped to understand their trainees' wider sociocultural context [2]. Introducing PAL models of resilience education early in a trainee's career likely provides well-being benefits such as inclusive peer relationships, skills of positive emotional regulation, and the use of lifestyle choices to build resilience, and has been shown to have the potential to enhance students' self-perception of their knowledge base, preparing them for the rigorous academic environment of medical school [1]. The PAL experience provides a valuable foundation for medical learners to develop best practices for well-being.…”