
Marissa Zhu
Curriculum Specialist, Wayne State University School of Medicine
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Dr. Marissa Zhu serves as a curriculum specialist at Wayne State University's School of Medicine, where she develops the Students as Teachers programs. She also works on the competency-based micro-credential certification pathway. This innovative pathway helps medical students develop specialized skills and gain recognition for their accomplishments. Dr. Zhu evaluates the impact of these programs on medical students' development of teaching skills, self-regulated learning, intercultural competencies, and professional noticing.
Near Peer Impact: Medical Student Teaching Skills, Master Adaptive Learning, & Professional Identity
This Ignite Presentation explores the effectiveness of a near-peer program on medical students' teaching skills, master adaptive learning, and professional identity formation. Join us as we share insights, discuss the program’s potential, and invite audience feedback to enhance this innovative approach to medical students-as-teachers (mSAT) programming.
Narrative: Our presentation will begin with an introduction to the near-peer program, which pairs medical students with more experienced peers to facilitate their teaching skills development, master adaptive learning, and foster professional identity development.
Next, we will dive into the program's design, focusing on the mentorship aspects, teaching strategies, and assessment methods. We will share the initial findings from a study that evaluates the impact of the near-peer program on participants' skills and attitudes, highlighting both successes and areas for improvement. We will discuss the importance of creating a feedback loop that promotes active engagement and meaningful connections between near-peer tutors, tutees, and faculty. This feedback loop will ensure that all parties are benefiting from the near-peer program, leading to improved teaching competencies and professional growth.
As we wrap up our presentation, we will explore strategies for refining the program to enhance its overall effectiveness and discuss ways to facilitate its transition into a micro-credentialing pathway. Our goal is to engage the audience in a conversation about innovative approaches to medical students-as-teachers programming, and we will specifically seek feedback on the following aspects:
1. Potential improvements to the program's design and implementation.
2. Efficient assessment techniques for evaluating students' teaching abilities, adaptive learning, and professional identity growth.
3. Strategies for establishing a near-peer micro-credentialing pathway in medical education.
We believe that near-peer programs have the potential to transform medical education, and we look forward to sparking a conversation that will ignite further exploration of this exciting concept.
Developing a Scalable and Sustainable Model for Medical Students as Teachers Programs: A Scoping Rev
Abstract: This scoping literature review investigates programmatic features that contribute to the success of large-scale medical Students as Teachers (mSAT) programs. The review identifies current barriers and potential solutions to improve the effectiveness, scalability, and sustainability of mSAT programs.
Background: Medical Students as Teachers (mSAT) programs have increasingly gained recognition in medical education as a valuable approach for enhancing teaching skills, knowledge, and professional development among medical students. In these programs, medical students assume teaching roles, instructing their peers, residents, or other healthcare professionals. mSAT programs benefit both tutors and tutees in various ways, such as increased confidence, improved communication, and a deeper understanding of clinical concepts (Yu et al., 2011). Consequently, there is growing interest in expanding and refining these programs to maximize their impact on medical education.
However, many mSAT programs are small-scale and short-term, raising questions about how to develop sustainable and scalable models. This scoping review aims to explore the existing literature on mSAT programs to identify programmatic features, challenges, and strategies that contribute to successful implementation and scalability.
Methods:
A scoping literature review was conducted using the PubMed, SCOPUS, and ERIC databases. The search terms included "students as teachers", "medical education", and "near peer". We also hand-searched the reference lists of the included articles to identify additional relevant publications. A total of 25 articles were identified and included in the review. Data extraction and analysis were performed to identify key themes, programmatic features, challenges, and strategies for success.
Results:
The review identified several specific programmatic features associated with successful mSAT programs, including micro-credentialing to recognize and reward student-teachers, providing varied teaching experiences across different clinical and pre-clinical contexts, incorporating online learning modules for flexible access to content, and offering ample opportunities for feedback and reflection to enhance teaching skills. Innovative strategies that emerged from the review included leveraging synchronous and asynchronous technologies, such as video-recordings of teaching sessions to allow for self-assessment and peer feedback, video-based feedback environments to increase instructor presence, and digital micro-credentialing systems to track teaching competencies, and virtual workshops for collaborative skill development and knowledge sharing. These features and strategies have the potential to support the development of scalable and sustainable mSAT programs, addressing common challenges such as time constraints, limited resources, and varying levels of student-teacher experience.
Discussion:
This scoping review highlights the importance of specific programmatic features and innovative strategies in developing sustainable and scalable mSAT programs. Micro-credentialing, varied teaching experiences, online learning modules, and opportunities for feedback and reflection are identified as essential components to enhance the overall effectiveness and reach of mSAT programs. Furthermore, leveraging synchronous and asynchronous technologies, such as video-recordings for teaching and feedback, digital micro-credentialing, and virtual workshops, offer promising avenues to address common logistical challenges and adapt to the evolving landscape of medical education.
However, it is crucial to recognize that the successful implementation and scaling of mSAT programs require a context-sensitive approach, considering factors such as institutional culture, resources, and the unique needs of learners and educators. Future research should explore how these features and strategies can be tailored and integrated within diverse medical education settings, as well as assess the long-term impact of such programs on student outcomes and professional development.
Moreover, further investigation is needed to understand the potential barriers to the adoption of these programmatic features and innovative strategies, as well as strategies to address resistance and promote buy-in from stakeholders. Collaboration among medical educators, administrators, and learners will be vital in fostering a shared vision and commitment to the continuous improvement of mSAT programs. Ultimately, the insights gained from this scoping review contribute to the growing body of knowledge surrounding mSAT programs, paving the way for the development of more effective, scalable, and sustainable approaches to medical education and the cultivation of future physicians.

Marissa Zhu
Curriculum Specialist, Wayne State University School of Medicine
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