Peer teacher training for health professional students: a systematic review of formal programs
Abstract Background Skills in peer teaching, assessment and feedback are documented internationally as required graduate attributes for health professional students, placing emphasis on universities to prepare health professional graduates with teaching skills. The aim of this systematic review was...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-11-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-018-1356-2 |
| _version_ | 1828786901130149888 |
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| author | Annette Burgess Deborah McGregor |
| author_facet | Annette Burgess Deborah McGregor |
| author_sort | Annette Burgess |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Skills in peer teaching, assessment and feedback are documented internationally as required graduate attributes for health professional students, placing emphasis on universities to prepare health professional graduates with teaching skills. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the rational, design, content and evaluation of student peer teacher training skills programs across the health professions. Methods In October 2017, a search was conducted of five databases (Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, ERIC and Cochrane Collection) using combinations of key search terms: ‘Student as teacher’, ‘near-peer teaching’, ‘student teacher’, ‘peer teacher’, ‘peer-to-peer’, ‘undergraduate’, ‘medical education’, ‘curriculum’, ‘program’, ‘training’, ‘allied health’, ‘health science’, ‘pharmacy’, ‘nurse’, and ‘medicine’, with results restricted to articles published in English within the decade. Articles were excluded if they were not original research, focused on a teaching approach other than peer assisted learning or teaching, did not adequately describe a student teacher training component of at least 3 hrs duration, or addressed only clinical skills training and not teaching skills training. Results The two authors independently assessed 42 full-text articles for eligibility, with 19 articles satisfying criteria for inclusion. Dominating results were uni-disciplinary, faculty-led, non-mandated programs, targeting participants in senior years of training. Medicine was the dominant profession, with an obvious underrepresentation of the other health professions. Common program content included the foundations of education theory, teaching methods and techniques, and providing feedback. Summary and comparison of program design is restricted by gaps and inconsistencies in reporting, while the evaluation of programs remains largely subjective. Conclusions Teaching is increasingly recognised as a core professional skill across the health workforce, with expectations to teach peers and colleagues, within and across professional disciplines, as well as to educate patients. Students, faculty and institutes may benefit from training programs being designed for implementation in any health profession; and further to this, implemented within an interprofessionally context. Consistent reporting of teacher training programs, and objective methods of evaluation would enable more in-depth investigation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T00:21:00Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c5bddad150334da5a5c6f51af831b680 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T00:21:00Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-c5bddad150334da5a5c6f51af831b6802022-12-22T00:44:44ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202018-11-0118111210.1186/s12909-018-1356-2Peer teacher training for health professional students: a systematic review of formal programsAnnette Burgess0Deborah McGregor1The University of Sydney School of Medicine, Education Office, Faculty of Medicine and HealthThe University of Sydney School of Medicine, Education Office, Faculty of Medicine and HealthAbstract Background Skills in peer teaching, assessment and feedback are documented internationally as required graduate attributes for health professional students, placing emphasis on universities to prepare health professional graduates with teaching skills. The aim of this systematic review was to determine the rational, design, content and evaluation of student peer teacher training skills programs across the health professions. Methods In October 2017, a search was conducted of five databases (Pubmed, Embase, CINAHL, ERIC and Cochrane Collection) using combinations of key search terms: ‘Student as teacher’, ‘near-peer teaching’, ‘student teacher’, ‘peer teacher’, ‘peer-to-peer’, ‘undergraduate’, ‘medical education’, ‘curriculum’, ‘program’, ‘training’, ‘allied health’, ‘health science’, ‘pharmacy’, ‘nurse’, and ‘medicine’, with results restricted to articles published in English within the decade. Articles were excluded if they were not original research, focused on a teaching approach other than peer assisted learning or teaching, did not adequately describe a student teacher training component of at least 3 hrs duration, or addressed only clinical skills training and not teaching skills training. Results The two authors independently assessed 42 full-text articles for eligibility, with 19 articles satisfying criteria for inclusion. Dominating results were uni-disciplinary, faculty-led, non-mandated programs, targeting participants in senior years of training. Medicine was the dominant profession, with an obvious underrepresentation of the other health professions. Common program content included the foundations of education theory, teaching methods and techniques, and providing feedback. Summary and comparison of program design is restricted by gaps and inconsistencies in reporting, while the evaluation of programs remains largely subjective. Conclusions Teaching is increasingly recognised as a core professional skill across the health workforce, with expectations to teach peers and colleagues, within and across professional disciplines, as well as to educate patients. Students, faculty and institutes may benefit from training programs being designed for implementation in any health profession; and further to this, implemented within an interprofessionally context. Consistent reporting of teacher training programs, and objective methods of evaluation would enable more in-depth investigation.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-018-1356-2 |
| spellingShingle | Annette Burgess Deborah McGregor Peer teacher training for health professional students: a systematic review of formal programs BMC Medical Education |
| title | Peer teacher training for health professional students: a systematic review of formal programs |
| title_full | Peer teacher training for health professional students: a systematic review of formal programs |
| title_fullStr | Peer teacher training for health professional students: a systematic review of formal programs |
| title_full_unstemmed | Peer teacher training for health professional students: a systematic review of formal programs |
| title_short | Peer teacher training for health professional students: a systematic review of formal programs |
| title_sort | peer teacher training for health professional students a systematic review of formal programs |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s12909-018-1356-2 |
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