Eight years of PBL peer-tutors experience at the Universidad Austral of Chile’s Medical School

Abstract

Background: The great difficulty in implementing problem-based learning (PBL) in the Universidad Austral Medical School, Chile, was due to inadequate number of teachers wishing to become tutors in this topic. As a result of this, a PBL Peer-Tutoring Program was developed.

Objective: To analyze, the peer-tutors’ experience in this program between 2007 and 2014.

Method: A qualitative, descriptive and exploratory was conducted using an intrinsic case study of the experience of peer-tutor. The techniques and tools used were a questionnaire with its survey and two focus groups with the same thematic script. A Likert scale was used to assess tutor perceptions on the training received. Performance and personal achievements was used in the survey, and a thematic analysis was carried out on all the notes from the focus groups.

Results: A total of 95 students were trained as peer-tutor between 2007 and 2014, of which 85 of them (89.5%) responded to the questionnaire. The results showed that 84.7% of the tutors agreed on the training received, and 84.4% showed total agreement with their performance perception. The personal achievement item showed the highest responses (89.9%) for total agreement. The focus group highlighted that being a tutor is a great contribution to their personal and professional development.

Conclusions: Peer-tutoring in PBL promotes the early acquisition and practice of the skills described in the admission profiles of the medical student, using their own self-learning skills, effective communication, and the motivation to teach.