A controlled trial of peer-teaching in practical gross anatomy

The present study is an evaluation of a peer-teaching program in practical gross anatomy involving 80 volunteer second-year medical students. They were assigned 20 per cadaver, but divided into two subgroups of 10 each. The subgroup which dissects during a given session would demonstrate their accomplishments to the other subgroup at the commencement of the next dissecting session, before withdrawing to study independently. The other subgroup would then proceed to dissect during the rest of the session and, on the next practical day, demonstrate their work to their peers in the complementary subgroup. Thus, each subgroup performed only half of the 36 work units on the trunk, relying on their peers for instruction on the other half. Eighty students with similar entry-level qualifications were selected from the rest of the class to serve as controls. Their student-to-cadaver ratio was also 20:1 but every member was in attendance at all dissecting sessions. In the experimental and control programs, each student was actively engaged in dissection for an average of 5.4 hours. A 200-item two-choice theory paper and a 50-station practical test comprising specimen-based questions were administered at the end of the study. Students in the peer-teaching program performed significantly better than their full-time dissecting counterparts. The peer-teaching program was well-received by the students: it reduced the crowding at dissecting tables considerably and offered them opportunities to hone their communication skills. The non-dissecting time was also much-valued and well-utilized. (C) 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.