‘Educator with a capital E’: Comparing medical education experiences of student-as-teacher elective participants and peers

Abstract

Purpose

Student-as-teacher electives are increasingly offered at medical schools, but little is known about how medical education experiences among enrolled students compare with those of their peers. The study’s aim was to characterize medical students’ education-related experiences, attitudes, knowledge, and skills based on their enrollment status in a student-as-teacher course.

Materials/methods

We conducted four focus groups at a medical school in the United States: two with graduating students in a student-as-teacher elective (n = 11) and two with unenrolled peers (n = 11). Transcripts were analyzed using the Framework Method to identify themes.

Results

Four themes emerged: interest in and attitudes towards medical education; medical education skills, knowledge, and frameworks; strategies for giving/receiving feedback; medical education training as part of medical school. Course participants demonstrated higher-level education-related knowledge and skills. Both groups endorsed teaching skills as important and identified opportunities to incorporate medical education training into medical school curricula.

Conclusions

Medical education knowledge and teaching skills are self-reported as important learning outcomes for medical students, independent of enrollment status in a student-as-teacher course. The structure of such courses, best understood through a deliberate practice-based model, supports students’ achievement of key learning outcomes. Certain course elements may warrant inclusion in standard medical school curricula.

Keywords:

• Near-peer teaching
• student-as-teacher
• undergraduate medical education
• medical education electives

Disclosure statement

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the article.

Glossary

Student-as-teacher course: Courses designed to train students in the principles and practice of medical education.

Deliberate practice: Effortful practice of a skill paired with feedback to facilitate skill improvement or attainment.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sarah E. Onorato

Sarah E. Onorato, MD, is a first-year internal medicine resident at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, MA.

Andrea W. Schwartz

Andrea W. Schwartz, MD, MPH, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and co-Course Director of the Medical Education Longitudinal Elective at Harvard Medical School and Associate Fellowship Director, Harvard Multicampus Geriatrics Fellowship, VA Boston Healthcare System and New England Geriatrics Research Education and Clinical Center.

Christine P. Beltran

Christine P. Beltran, MEd, is a Research Manager at Shapiro Institute for Education and Research at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA.

Jeremy B. Richards

Jeremy B. Richards, MD, MA, is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and a co-Course Director of the Medical Education Longitudinal Elective at Harvard Medical School.