Investigating the Contribution of Peer-Assisted Learning to Student Competency in Medical Education

Abstract

Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) is a cutting-edge teaching and learning approach that allows students to work with their peers to develop greater comprehension and proficiency. Comparing PAL to conventional pedagogical techniques, the research examines how PAL helps medical students improve their abilities, especially in the clinical and theoretical areas. The main goal was to determine how well PAL improved medical students' proficiency in the practical and cognitive components of medical education. Using a quasi-experimental approach, 70 medical students were evaluated over the course of a semester; 35 in the PAL intervention group engaged in structured peer-teaching sessions, while 35 in the control group received traditional instructor-led lectures. Data collection included formative assessments, summative exams, peer evaluations, clinical skills assessments, and student self-assessments. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) and the Mann-Whitney U test were implemented to evaluate group differences, adjusting for baseline performance and non-parametric distributions. The PAL group exhibited statistically significant improvements in assessment at p<0.005. Peer evaluations indicated substantial growth in teaching and clinical competencies among the peer-teachers. ANCOVA and the Mann-Whitney U test results confirmed that PAL significantly enhanced teaching effectiveness and practical skills. The findings underscore PAL's potential as an effective pedagogical strategy for bridging theoretical concepts with practical applications in medical education. Further examination with larger sample sizes and longitudinal data is recommended to explore the long-term impact and scalability of PAL in medical curricula.