PAL

Areas of difficulty faced by our veterinary medicine students, with respect to their learning in dissection classes, were identified. These challenges were both general adult-learning related and specific to the discipline of anatomy. Our aim was to design, implement, and evaluate a modified reciprocal peer-assisted/team-based learning format--Doing Dissections Differently (DDD)--to complement existing dissection classes, with the intention of enhancing both student learning and the student learning experience...

BACKGROUND: Monash University employs a vertically-integrated curriculum with cumulative knowledge testing throughout the course. To facilitate cross-year level revision, a vertical study programme (VESPA) was established using the principles of peer-assisted learning (PAL). AIM: To implement and evaluate VESPA in relation to defined objectives. METHODS: Following from a successful pilot, a working group organised five 2 h VESPA sessions over the course of 2009...

BACKGROUND: Peer assisted learning (PAL) has been shown in undergraduate programmes to be as effective as learning from instructors. PAL is a shared experience between two learners often with one being more senior to the other but usually both are studying within the same discipline. Interprofessional education occurs when two or more professionals learn with, from and about each other. Benefits of PAL in an interprofessional context have not been previously explored. As part of a final year education unit, midwifery students at Monash University developed workshops for second year undergraduate paramedic students...

BACKGROUND: The importance and benefits of interdisciplinary practice in health care have been well documented. Despite this, few medical schools have developed formal curriculum opportunities for interdisciplinary teaching. Here, as an example of medical and nursing students teaching and learning together, we describe a novel approach to interdisciplinary peer-assisted learning led by students on fluid and electrolyte balance. METHODS: Teaching sessions were developed and led by a collaborative group of fourth-year medical and nursing students, under the supervision of teaching staff...

As a peer-assisted learning process, minilectures on physiology were conducted by students. During this process, students lecture to their colleagues in the presence of faculty staff members. These lectures were evaluated by faculty staff and students simultaneously. The aim of this study was to compare feedback from faculty members and students on 66 minilectures conducted by students. Their perception of different qualities of lecture was assessed using a questionnaire. There were significant correlations between students and faculty members for many qualities of the lecture, including the speed of the lecture, retaining attention, clear introduction, and the overall quality of the lecture...

OBJECTIVE: Medical students spend significant portions of their time in the operating room, with many learning skills through trial and error. Peer-assisted learning is a useful teaching and learning method. Our hypothesis is that students will perform basic skills in the operating room environment more often when taught by their peers. STUDY DESIGN: Sixty third-year medical students participated in an operating room introduction course. Learners were randomized into 2 cohorts: 1 led by obstetrics and gynecology residents, 1 led by fourth-year medical students...

BACKGROUND: Peer assisted learning is known as an effective educational strategy in medical teaching. We established a peer assisted teaching program by student tutors with a focus on clinical competencies for students during their practical training on paediatric wards. It was the purpose of this study to investigate the effects of a clinical skills training by tutors, residents and consultants on students evaluations of the teaching quality and the effects of a peer teaching program on self assessed clinical competencies by the students...

INTRODUCTION: International interest in peer-teaching and peer-assisted learning (PAL) during undergraduate medical programs has grown in recent years, reflected both in literature and in practice. There, remains however, a distinct lack of objective clarity and consensus on the true effectiveness of peer-teaching and its short- and long-term impacts on learning outcomes and clinical practice. OBJECTIVE: To summarize and critically appraise evidence presented on peer-teaching effectiveness and its impact on objective learning outcomes of medical students...

Standard medical curricula in the United Kingdom (UK) typically provide basic surgical-skills teaching before medical students are introduced into the clinical environment. However, these sessions are often led by clinical teaching fellows and/or consultants. Depending on the roles undertaken (e.g., session organizers, peer tutors), a peer-assisted learning (PAL) approach may afford many benefits to teaching surgical skills. At the University of Keele's School of Medicine, informal PAL is used by the Surgical Society to teach basic surgical skills to pre-clinical students...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to investigate a novel resident education model that turns the traditional surgical hierarchy upside down, termed a "reverse" peer-assisted learning curriculum. METHODS: Thirty surgical topics were randomized between medical students and chief residents on each clinical team, with 1 topic being presented briefly during morning rounds. An exam evaluating junior residents' knowledge of these topics was administered before and after 1 month of presentations...

Junior medical staff provides a large proportion of undergraduate student education. However, despite increasing numbers of resident-as-teacher training programs, junior doctors may still not be sufficiently prepared to teach medical students. Hence, medical schools should consider implementing formal teaching skills training into undergraduate curricula.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The fast development of e-learning and social forums demands us to update our understanding of e-learning and peer learning. We aimed to investigate if higher, pre-defined levels of e-learning or social interaction in web forums improved students' learning ability. METHODS: One hundred and twenty Danish medical students were randomized to six groups all with 20 students (eCases level 1, eCases level 2, eCases level 2+, eTextbook level 1, eTextbook level 2, and eTextbook level 2+)...