The Impact of Resident Student-Intern Pairing on Medical Education
A study conducted at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine explores the effects of resident student-intern pairing on medical education.
Participants
Imagine being a medical student, eager to learn and grow in your field. Now picture having the opportunity to not only learn from your peers but also teach them valuable knowledge. This was the case for resident students and interns at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine between January 2023 and June 2023.
The study involved a total of 158 resident students and 43 interns, all actively engaged in the respiratory medicine rotation. Resident students from various medical backgrounds, including internal medicine, emergency, critical care, or anesthesia, were paired with interns enrolled in either the five-year program or the eight-year program at the university.
- Resident students collaborated with interns to form small medical groups based on mutual preferences.
- 40 resident students took on the role of instructors for 43 interns, ensuring a dynamic exchange of knowledge and skills.
- Baseline statistics and recruitment details can be found in Fig. 1 and Table 1 respectively.
Procedures
Once the resident student-intern pairs were established, they formalized their arrangement through signed agreements, signifying a commitment to mutual learning and growth. Resident students assumed the role of instructors for their paired interns, guiding them through various aspects of patient care and medical practice.
To ensure the effectiveness of the instruction, specific criteria were set:
- Duration: Instruction should span at least 10 weekdays.
- Daily Duration: Instructors should dedicate a minimum of 2 hours per day to teaching sessions.
- Patient Engagement: Each instructional period should involve interactions with at least 5 patients.
All peer-teachers met these criteria, fostering a rich learning environment for both resident students and interns. Questionnaires were administered to evaluate the effectiveness and satisfaction of the paired learning experience before their departure from the program.
Assessments
Evaluation is key in any educational setting, and this study was no exception. Resident students underwent both pre-rotation and departmental examinations to assess their knowledge and skills. The examinations consisted of 50 multiple-choice questions designed to reflect real-life clinical scenarios.
To ensure fairness, resident students across the same rotation period faced similar questions in both examinations. The results were graded on a scale of 100 points, reflecting the comprehensive level of knowledge mastery encompassing disease-related information, diagnosis, clinical skills, communication, and ethics.
Withdrawn
In any collaborative endeavor, it's essential to have the freedom to make choices. Throughout the study, resident students and interns had the option to withdraw from their paired arrangement if necessary. However, no withdrawals were reported during the experiment, indicating a strong commitment to the learning process.
Analysis
To analyze the data collected from the study, statistical methods were employed. Categorical variables were analyzed using chi-square analysis, while continuous variables underwent student's T test. The examination scores were assessed for normal distribution using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test.
The results were presented as means ± standard deviations for continuous variables and as frequencies for categorical variables. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant, highlighting the impact of resident student-intern pairing on medical education.
Through this innovative approach, medical education is not just about textbooks and lectures; it's about real-world application and hands-on experience. The collaboration between resident students and interns creates a dynamic learning environment where knowledge flows freely, benefiting both parties involved. As we navigate the ever-evolving landscape of healthcare, initiatives like these pave the way for a brighter future in medical education.
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