Preparing Future Medical Educators: Development and Pilot Evaluation of a Student-Led Medical Education Elective

Abstract

Introduction Although all medical school graduates are expected to be educators as residents, and subsequently as faculty, most students receive no formal education on how to teach. At the Uniformed Services University (USU), no formal educational training previously existed for senior medial students as they prepared for residency. A novel Medical Education Elective for MS4s was developed and run by MS4s with faculty mentoring at USU with implementation between January and June 2018. Materials and Methods The overall goal of the 4-week course was to provide a forum for MS4s to gain exposure to educational theories and teaching methods with an opportunity to practice learned skills in the underclass curriculum. The course’s three core components were: didactics, observed teaching, and independent teaching. The course was evaluated via multiple methods including verbal and survey feedback from both first and fourth year medical students. Results The preliminary outcomes revealed the course had a positive impact on both first-year medical students (MS1s) and MS4s. As of May 2018, 100% (n = 59) of MS1s surveyed reported that having an MS4 teacher contributed positively to their learning experience. All MS4s surveyed (n = 12) agreed that the course enhanced their confidence in teaching. Conclusions Medical education courses not only offer an opportunity for senior students to cultivate educational theoretical knowledge and teaching skills in preparation for residency but also contribute positively to the learning experiences of underclass students. Now that the elective has been piloted with initial data suggesting feasibility and benefit to both MS4 and MS1 students, the next steps are to focus on ensuring longevity of the course offering at USU and to consider working with senior students at other institutions that lack formal training in education to start similar student run medical education initiatives.

Who is the Teacher and Who is the Student? The Dual Service- and Engaged-Learning Pedagogical Model of Anatomy Academy

“…16 One way some medical schools have addressed the issue is through "peer-teaching" initiatives for senior students to teach select topics in short sessions to underclassmen, often during Anatomy. 17,18 A review of the literature revealed 19 studies (from nearly 400) that addressed the topic of peer teaching and showed the same model of senior students teaching peers or lowerclassmen, nearly exclusively in medicine. 19 The opportunity and need for training the student as the teacher are particularly apparent in allied health professions, with great potential for interprofessional applications, as well as flipped classroom teaching modalities.…”

Medical students’ opinions of Peer Assisted Learning using a One Minute Tutorial format within an Obstetrics and Gynaecology rotation

“…In the context of PAL, our research identified the educational tool as an overall enjoyable experience for many students. Several studies have found that PAL provides a relaxed approach to medical education, promoting a perceived "safe" learning environment (Jauregui, 2018), the benefit to which is seen in an increased enjoyment of the learning process (Harvey et al, 2020). The benefits of the enjoyment of learning are seen in a motivation to attend sessions, encouraged concentration by learners and increased absorption of information (Lucardie, 2014).…”

“…A clear benefit to students who partake as teachers in PAL has also been identified, with increased retention relating to topics taught and an increase in academic performance noted (Williams and Reddy, 2016). Students report that PAL provides a positive contribution to their learning experience (Harvey et al, 2020). Further evidence suggests that PAL can promote a "safe" learning environment: this perceived "safety" of the learning environment is thought to encourage learners to construct ties to their underlying knowledge and validate their evolving understanding of a topic (Glynn, 2006).…”

Development of a Single-Institution Virtual Internal Medicine Subinternship With Near-Peer Teaching in Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…8 Benefits of NPTs have also been observed in clinical education. 9 As U.S. medical schools implement clinician-educator curricula for their senior students, 10 near-peer teaching allows opportunities for students to practice these skills. Based on our experiences with the virtual subinternship and other teaching activities during the COVID-19 pandemic, our institution has continued to offer a peer teaching elective and is exploring the creation of a clinician-educator pathway for medical students.…”