Impacts on the Student Experience in the Gross Anatomy Laboratory with the Introduction of Reciprocal Peer Teaching

Abstract

Ongoing changes to medical education curricula in the United States require continued evaluation of best practices for maintaining and enhancing anatomical education in medical schools. The purpose of this study was to identify the impacts of incorporating reciprocal peer teaching in a human gross anatomy laboratory for students in the first year of medical school at Indiana University School of Medicine, Bloomington (IUSM‐BL). While previous studies have focused on the effects of reciprocal peer teaching on student achievement, this study concentrated on identifying and explaining the underlying changes to the student experience that can occur when introducing reciprocal peer teaching in the gross anatomy laboratory. The researcher used a grounded theory analysis of student interviews, instructor interviews, and student work to provide an in‐depth examination of the use of reciprocal peer teaching at IUSM‐BL from the fall of 2012 through the spring of 2016. All Interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed and IRB consent (IRB Study #1404683093) was obtained for the study. Through the grounded theory analysis, the researcher developed a theory to explain the impacts of reciprocal peer teaching on the student experience at IUSM‐BL. The study found that there were 2 theoretical categories that best explain the changes to the student experience when incorporating reciprocal peer teaching. (1) Students' roles in the laboratory changed and there was new emphasis placed on the role of the student as a dissector, a team member, and a teacher. (2) New challenges were created resulting in an increase in conflicts between individuals and greater emphasis by the students on the importance of effective communication. In conclusion, the researcher determined reciprocal peer teaching at IUSM‐BL increased active dissection time, decreased intragroup conflict, generated new opportunities to develop teaching and communication skills, and increased efficiency in the anatomy laboratory classroom. These findings provide information for educators at IUSM‐BL as they continue to make revisions to meet curricular demands. Additionally, the information can be used more broadly to inform anatomy educators about benefits reciprocal peer teaching model, and considerations for its use in the anatomy laboratory.Support or Funding InformationThis study was unfunded.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.