Cross-year peer tutoring on internal medicine wards: Effects on self-assessed clinical competencies-A group control design study

Background: Peer-assisted learning (PAL) has become a well-accepted teaching method within medical education. However, descriptions of on-ward PAL programmes are rare. We introduced a PAL programme with a focus on clinical competencies on internal medicine wards. Aims: To assess the effects of an on-ward PAL programme on self-assessed clinical competencies. Method: A total of 168 medical students were randomly assigned to one of the seven intervention wards or one of the seven control wards. During their 5-week ward-placement, the intervention group (IG; n = 88) received 10 patient-centred tutorials lead by final year tutors: (I) history taking, (II) physical examination, (III) blood withdrawal, (IV) infusion, (V) patient files, (VI and VII) ECG, (VIII-X) chart rounds. The control group (CG; n = 80) did not take part in the PAL programme. Clinical competencies were self-assessed pre- and post-intervention. Results: For five of the ten assessed clinical competencies, increases in self-confidence ratings were significantly higher in the IG as compared to CG. Conclusions: Results provide preliminary evidence to suggest that PAL programmes on internal medicine wards and with final year students as peer tutors may represent a valuable additional tool within medical clerkships. However, the findings must be confirmed and clarified in further research.