Undergraduate peer assisted learning tutors' performance in summative anatomy examinations: a pilot study.

Andee Agius,Isabel Stabile

doi:10.5116/ijme.5aa3.e2a6

Abstract

ObjectivesTo compare summative anatomy examination results of Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) tutors and learners in the same undergraduate classroom. MethodsComparative study of Year-1 medical students who did/did not serve as PAL tutors. PAL tutors gave six hours of teaching in lower limb anatomy. Percent marks for written and spotting examinations were compared between PAL tutors and PAL learners. ResultsThe 12 self-selected PAL tutors were not significantly different from their peers (n=191) in terms of age or nationality, but 20% were female compared to 51% of PAL learners. Except for upper limb anatomy, PAL tutors performed at the same level as their tutees in all basic science examinations taken before PAL was introduced. PAL tutors performed better (M=89.0, SD=8.2) in the lower limb examinations than PAL learners (M=79.7, SD=13.0), but these differences were only statistically significantly bigger in the subject they had taught (t(184) = 2.40, p=0.002). Overall PAL tutors performed better in all anatomy spotting exams in both pre-clinical years (Year-1: M=80.4, SD=7.4; Year-2: M=74.8, SD=3.4) compared to PAL learners (Year-1: M=75.1, SD=6.6; Year-2: M=67.2, SD=3.0; (t(1) = 4.2, p=0.07). ConclusionsUndergraduate PAL tutors performed better than PAL learners in the subject they taught and continued to do so in all anatomy spotting exams, even after the PAL experience had ended, suggesting that actively involving anatomy students as PAL tutors should be encouraged especially among undergraduate medical students.

Highlights

The concept of Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) in medical education dates back to the first century AD.[1]
PAL participants performed significantly better in a written and practical exam than the control group who dissected full-time
Only 20% of PAL tutors were female compared to 51% of PAL learners

Summary

Introduction

The concept of Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) in medical education dates back to the first century AD.[1]. Surveys of US medical schools have shown that the vast majority offer some form of PAL during their medical program and approximately one third provide a formal medical student-as-teachers programme to guide them in their teaching roles.[4,5] the literature is obscured by the fact that there are at least 15 other widely used synonyms for PAL including collaborative tutoring, cooperative learning, facilitative peer mentoring, supplemental instruction or merely peer/near-peer teaching. Olaussen et al have recently tried to clarify the nomenclature based on the relationship and ratio between student and teacher.[6] Interest in PAL in medical, dental, veterinary and allied health courses is increasing worldwide as evidenced in the vast number of published studies regarding its conceptual and curriculum framework, as well as narrative, critical and systematic reviews.[7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15]

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