Feasibility of Peer-Led Didactics in the Core Clinical Year on a Regional Medical Campus

Purpose The best methods for learning outside of the clinical setting in the core clinical year, especially at Regional Medical Campuses with limited full-time academic faculty, are unknown. Methods We developed and implemented a peer-led didactic program to complement our longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC) for students at our new regional medical campus (RMC) to achieve the same goals, objectives, and competencies as students at our main campus. These didactic sessions were developed and led by students for their peers with the assistance of community faculty members. Student scores on USMLE Step exams and National Board of Medical Examiner (NBME) subject exams for the core specialties were compared among the intervention group at the Regional Medical Campus, the main campus, and the national average. Finally, a student focus group provided qualitative data about student perceptions of these sessions.   Results Among participating students, ninety-five percent reported that the student-led didactics were relevant to their clinical work and eighty percent reported that these sessions enhanced their knowledge and the content was provided at the right pace and level. Students ranked preparing to teach student-led didactics as one of the most valuable learning experiences and “worth the time it took to prepare.” Students scored comparably to their main campus peers on all seven NBME subject exams and the Step 2 CK exam. Conclusion Utilizing peer-led didactics as a part of a longitudinal integrated clerkship is feasible and effective in helping students achieve the goals, objectives, and competencies of the core clinical year. This educational method should be considered at other LIC-based programs. The authors do not have any conflicts of interest to disclose. This project received no funding. As all data were completely anonymized thought the internet survey and no patients were involved, this was not reviewed by an ethics board.