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Utility and Efficacy of a Peer-Based Anatomy Tutoring Program for First Year Medical Students

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Abstract

Introduction

In response to first year medical students’ requests for additional instruction in gross anatomy beyond a traditional dissection- and prosection-based format, a peer-based anatomy tutoring program was implemented at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. This project evaluated the program’s student-perceived utility in supplementing the formal gross anatomy curriculum.

Methods

Second year medical student tutors held weekly two-hour sessions with one to four first year students per session. We asked first year attendees to provide feedback anonymously and voluntarily via an online survey regarding the tutoring sessions’ utility in enhancing their study of gross anatomy using a standard Likert scale.

Results

In 2011–2012, correlation analyses showed significant positive correlations between the number of sessions attended and the utility of sessions in (1) verifying structures (r = 0.48, p ≤ 0.01), (2) being quizzed by tutors (r = 0.42, p ≤ 0.01), and (3) overall confidence in the material (r = 0.46, p ≤ 0.01). In 2013–2014, correlation analyses showed significant positive correlations between the number of sessions attended and the utility of sessions in (1) learning content and verifying structures (r = 0.371; p ≤ 0.01), (2) knowing what is important (r = 0.272; p ≤ 0.05), and (3) improving student confidence (r = 0.329; p ≤ 0.01).

Discussion

Due to students’ self-reported improvement in knowledge and confidence, we believe they benefit from this program. Future studies that focus on which aspects of tutoring are perceived as most useful are necessary in order to enhance the program and optimize the students’ mastery of anatomical content.

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Acknowledgments

Funding for SurveyMonkey accounts, Appointment-Plus accounts, and tutor payments came from the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine and from the Student Affairs Office, Office of the Dean, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mattel Children’s Hospital UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Cameron Escovedo

  2. Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, 90027, USA

    Dave Harrison

  3. Department of Emergency Medicine, Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Jacob Lentz

  4. Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, 46202, USA

    Naomi Schmalz

  5. Office of Student Affairs, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Lesley Stahl

  6. Office of Admissions, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Sarika Thakur

  7. Department of Internal Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Neil Parker

  8. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    Elena Stark

  9. 2016 Euclid St #19, Santa Monica, CA, 90405, USA

    Cameron Escovedo

Authors
  1. Cameron Escovedo
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  2. Dave Harrison
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  3. Jacob Lentz
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  4. Naomi Schmalz
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  5. Lesley Stahl
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  6. Sarika Thakur
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  7. Neil Parker
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  8. Elena Stark
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cameron Escovedo.

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Escovedo, C., Harrison, D., Lentz, J. et al. Utility and Efficacy of a Peer-Based Anatomy Tutoring Program for First Year Medical Students. Med.Sci.Educ. 26, 105–109 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-015-0209-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40670-015-0209-4

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