gms | German Medical Science

Introduction: Peer-assisted learning (PAL) is a frequently used method in Skills Labs for teaching basic medical skills in a fear-less and risk-free environment. The medical faculty of the Ruhr-University Bochum features seven learning environments for teaching technical skills, emergency trainings and examination techniques. Courses concerning technical skills currently include modular concepts for teaching procedures of blood collection, insertion of intravenous cannulas, insertion of central venous catheters, basic skills for the surgery and sterile change of clothing.

Methods: Technical medical skills courses were evaluated using a new concept to illustrate learning success of practical abilities and to assess self-reflection of own medical-practical skills. Evaluation was performed with questionnaires before and after courses including questions for evaluation of self-reflected abilities in relation to course contents and a final questionnaire to ask how participants assessed their abilities retrospective before beginning of the course. Additionally, general questions about the course concept and administrative process were used to evaluate the modular concept. Pseudonymisation was used to assign questionnaires.

Results: All technical courses were evaluated as “very good”. Moreover, a subjective significantly learning success was identified for participants in several items. Participants evaluated themselves in several questions in reflection better than before the course. A significant difference was identified in 2 out of 8 items for the course blood collection, in 5 out of 7 items for the course surgery and insertion of intravenous cannulas, in 3 out of 7 items for the course insertion of central venous catheters and in 3 out of 6 items for the course sterile change of clothing. In the course blood collection and insertion of central venous catheters students evaluated themselves in reflection worse than before the course, significantly in 1 out of 8 questions, respectively.

Conclusion: Peer-teaching courses conducted in the medical faculty of the Ruhr-University of Bochum are an excellent opportunity to learn technical medical skills besides the curricular medical training objectified with a high self-reflected learning success. Furthermore, the retrospective self-reflection in educated medical practical skills is influenced by participation in a technical skill course depicted in specific aspects, so that in several questions the students evaluate themselves in reflection better than before the course.