Impact of Peer Assisted Learning on Year 1 Medical Students Peer Assisted Learning Module as An Teaching Learning Method

Medical council of India recommends improving quality of training of IMGs by expanding the role of doctors/IMGs from Clinician to Communicator, Leadership and member of the health care team. MCI also recommends improving quality of training by Vertical medical Integration, and expects Doctor as health educator as a core competency amongst the IMGs. Considering all these aspects of vision 2015 we have assessed peer-assisted learning teaching method and compared with traditional faculty based method of medical education. The modern Learning pedagogy is now well supported by evidences to make education system active and student-centered. senior students give and assist their juniors on pre assigned topics especially practical clinical teaching., lead and provide support to their junior classmates in the form of tutoring. The module is attractive to medical colleges faced with a growing number of learners but a static or rather decreasing faculty size.

1] Introduce and evaluate peer assisted learning as T&L method in first year medical students

2] To compare the impact of this method on learners with traditional method of learning

3] To Get the feedback of PAL

IEC approval was taken

Study design and type: experimental interventional comparative analysis

Study setting: Dept of physiology, AMCMET medical college, Ahmedabad

Study population: Ist year under graduate medical students Participants:

Inclusion criteria: All Ist year medical student willing to participate in study

Intervention:

PAL and traditional learning exposure assessed by OSPE tests Sample size: n1 =50 +n2= 50. Total 100

Assessment: Knowledge gain By post intervention tests: OSPE tests

Feedback: Perception of PAL by linkers scale

Statistical analysis: Mean and SD of results of post intervention tests of two experiment 1] Teaching blood pressure measurement E1 and 2] Teaching clinical examination of pulse.

Total score in each design 20 marks assessed by OSPE. P value measured. P value <0.05 was considered statistically significant other wise statistically insignificant Feedback was assessed by Likert scale

The study documented the fact that the result [Score achieved] were similar and statistically insignificant amongst junior students whether by learned PAL module or faculty assisted Learning module

Studies have shown that peer assisted teaching has received a positive feedback from both the peer teacher, the learners and faculties as taken by linker score. In this setting OSPE scores were comparatively similar whether they have faculty instructors or peer teachers(Statistically insignificant P>0.5).

The study demonstrates: a) PAL methods learning scores as measured by OSPE test was statistically similar ……….(p= 0.692984 in E1 and P =0.633656 E2 set up]

These findings support that PAL module is as effective as traditional Module.

The study demonstrates: a) PAL methods learning scores as measured by OSPE test was statistically similar. Teaching skills should be part of the training of all medical graduates [MG], and it should begin at the medical-student level. By such intervention medical students may become more effective communicators and educator in context to future physician-patient interaction[vision 2015]. Students become better learners and as students may be future residents and faculty members, PAL module help them to develop knowledge, attitudes, skills for medical education. 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 received positive responses from of medical students about their experience of vertical integration. Year 1 students reported that second year students provided guidance and reassurance. Year 2 students reported that the role helped them to improve their own understanding, communication and confidence. Though to find motivated students to teach in group to junior peers is also difficult unless it is made a part of education objectives by institution. Medical colleges should form a PAL as part of educational objectives including teaching methodology if objectives of MCI Vision 2015 i.e. improving quality of training of IMGSs by expanding the role of doctors/IMGs from Clinician to Communicator, Leadership and member of the health care team is to be fulfilled. And thus modern Learning pedagogy, to make education system active and student-centered is also fulfilled.