Simon Morris1, Max Sallis Osborne2, Duncan Bowyer3. 1. College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, West Midlands, United Kingdom. Electronic address: simonrhysmorris@yahoo.co.uk. 2. Department of Otolaryngology, Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham, Birmingham, United Kingdom. 3. Department of Otolaryngology, Princess Royal Hospital, Apley, Telford, United Kingdom.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of near-peer head and neck anatomy teaching on undergraduates and to quantify the benefit from a focussed teaching course. Near-peer teaching involves colleagues within close seniority and age proximity teaching one another on a specified topic. DESIGN: Small group teaching sessions were delivered to medical students on 3 key areas of ENT anatomy. Participants were given a precourse and postcourse questionnaire to determine the benefit attained from the course. SETTING: An undergraduate anatomy course taking place at the University of Birmingham Medical School. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 30 medical students: 15 preclinical (years 1-2) and 15 clinical (years 3-5) medical students participated from a single institution. RESULTS: A total of 71% of students expressed inadequate teaching of head and neck anatomy in undergraduate curriculum. All students (n = 30) expressed benefit from the course, however the patterns of learning differed: preclinical students showed a significant improvement in both their ability to name anatomical structures and their application (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Near-peer learning provides benefit to all medical undergraduates in the context of teaching anatomy which may make it a valuable teaching tool for the future of medical education.
OBJECTIVES: To assess the effect of near-peer head and neck anatomy teaching on undergraduates and to quantify the benefit from a focussed teaching course. Near-peer teaching involves colleagues within close seniority and age proximity teaching one another on a specified topic. DESIGN: Small group teaching sessions were delivered to medical students on 3 key areas of ENT anatomy. Participants were given a precourse and postcourse questionnaire to determine the benefit attained from the course. SETTING: An undergraduate anatomy course taking place at the University of Birmingham Medical School. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 30 medical students: 15 preclinical (years 1-2) and 15 clinical (years 3-5) medical students participated from a single institution. RESULTS: A total of 71% of students expressed inadequate teaching of head and neck anatomy in undergraduate curriculum. All students (n = 30) expressed benefit from the course, however the patterns of learning differed: preclinical students showed a significant improvement in both their ability to name anatomical structures and their application (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Near-peer learning provides benefit to all medical undergraduates in the context of teaching anatomy which may make it a valuable teaching tool for the future of medical education.