151 - Impact of Reciprocal Peer Tutoring on Medical Student Metacognition and Confidence: A Reproductive Anatomy Course Study

Poster Board Number: 151
There are separate poster presentation times for odd and even posters.
Odd poster #s – first hour
Even poster #s – second hour

Co-authors:

Emelie-jo Scheffler, BS - Medical Student, Foundational Medical Studies, Oakland Univeristy William Beaumont School of Medicine; Erin Mueller, BS - Medical Student, Foundational Medical Studies, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine; Varna Taranikanti, MD, PhD - Associate Professor, Foundational Medical Studies, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine

Abstract Body :Traditional medical education presents formidable challenges, requiring medical students to absorb vast amounts of information, engage in rigorous clinical training, and master the art of learning. Reproductive anatomy is particularly challenging, demanding intricate memorization, spatial understanding, and precise application of knowledge to achieve metacognition: the awareness and understanding of one's own thought processes. This study utilizes an innovative approach to aiding second-year medical students in accomplishing metacognition and confidence with regard to reproductive anatomy: Reciprocal peer tutoring. Reciprocal peer tutoring is a collaborative learning approach where students alternate teaching and learning from each other, promoting mutual understanding and enhancing comprehension through active engagement in the learning process. We hypothesize that reciprocal peer tutoring will foster metacognition in medical students by encouraging reflection, discussion, and collaborative problem-solving strategies.A survey was administered to second-year medical students to gain an understanding of how reciprocal peer tutoring impacted regulation of cognitive activities such as learning and problem-solving at our institution. Results of this study showcase a significant positive effect, with an unexpected hierarchical distinction between second and third-year medical students serving as reciprocal peer tutors. Specifically, 100% of students tutored by third-year students felt that reciprocal peer tutoring allowed them to effectively facilitate anatomical learning and retain information, while only 85% of students tutored by second-year students felt similarly. Additionally, 89% of students tutored by third year students felt more confident in identifying reproductive anatomical structures following the tutoring session, while only 73% of students tutored by second-year medical students felt more confident. These findings suggest that reciprocal peer tutoring is an effective method to aid medical students in mastering the art of how to learn. Moreover, it suggests that there is a hierarchy in efficacy among reciprocal peer tutors with regard to years of exposure to anatomy. Ultimately, this project implies that reciprocal teaching has proven to be a more successful method to facilitate metacognition among medical students as opposed to a self-directed learning approach. In the future, next steps should include understanding the specific teaching strategies that promote enhanced learning in those who have experienced reciprocal teaching and generalizing the findings to other institutions.