Abstract

Background: Studies on medical education suggest that peer-assisted learning (PAL) could be an acceptable and beneficial educational strategy to organize the programs by which students can tutor or teach their peers. We aim to compare PAL with trained faculty and also to find out the acceptance of PAL among the 1st year medical students in the department of physiology.

Aim and Objectives: This study aims (1) to assess the acceptance of this relatively new innovative teaching-learning method among medical students and (2) to compare the effectiveness of teaching clinical skill delivered by peers versus trained faculty.

Materials and Methods: This interventional medical education research study was conducted after ethical clearance from the Institutional Ethical Committee, on teaching clinical skills of blood pressure and pulse measurement on the 1st year MBBS students in the department of physiology. Students were divided into two groups and taught by peer who were trained prior and trained faculty members using a checklist. The objective structured practical examination scores of both groups were compared using paired t-test. Qualitative analysis of acceptance of PAL was done using a closed-ended questionnaire.

Results: The scores of both the groups were adequately comparable with P > 0.0001. Qualitative analysis using questionnaire reflected that PAL was an overwhelmingly acceptable innovative teaching modality.

Conclusion: These findings support the notion that PAL is more acceptable and equally effective on student’s learning and retention. PAL is an effective mean to encourage students and improve their knowledge and performance in basic sciences.

Key words: Peer-Assisted Learning; Innovative Teaching; Clinical Skill Training