Clinical N-PAL preferentially benefits international students

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which Near Peer Assisted Learning influences the final practical examination results of Year 3 medical students at the University of Malta.

Twenty-five Year 4 students received 10 hours of training using standardized clinical histories and corresponding checklists. Fifty-three Year 3 students in a 1:2 tutor:learner ratio attended ten prepared sessions covering history taking and examination skills in each of the body systems.

Results: EU participants had significantly higher mean scores than non-EU students (78 vs 66%, p = 0.02). EU and non-EU N-PAL participants had higher mean clinical examination scores than EU and non-EU non-participants (77.3 vs 70.5%, p=0.1; 66.3 vs 47.8%, p=0.07, respectively). The mean pre/post test score for doing a clinical examination increased by 29%.

Discussion: Perhaps because peer assisted tutoring is perceived to be less formidable than clinician-led teaching, N-PAL participating students from non-EU countries scored almost one fifth higher than their non-participating peers in the final clinical skills examination. Perceived pre/post test scores improved dramatically in doing a clinical examination, indicating that participants felt that they benefited from attending these sessions.

Conclusion: If used as an adjunct to formal teaching, Near Peer Assisted Learning is particularly beneficial to non-EU students studying within the EU, probably because it improves communication skills, instills self-confidence as well as helps students to practice practical skills in an informal setting.

Take home messages: Near Peer Assisted Learning boosts the confidence of non-EU students allowing them to perform better in clinical exam situations. However, all participants reported the sessions as being very helpful in improving their history-taking and clinical examination skills.