Development of Peer-Led Medical Education Initiatives at The University of Leicester

Abstract

Over the past five years, students at The University of Leicester Medical School have been pioneering large scale peer-led education initiatives and a number of programmes have been set up to complement the formal medical curriculum. These provide a structure through which senior medical students with an interest in teaching can offer academic support to their junior colleagues. Peer-led teaching is unique in form and enhances understanding through use of simple language and the insight of recent experience. The courses have proven to be popular with the majority of each cohort attending. The most established of these teaching programmes is the ESA Insight revision course, which runs over eleven weeks and aids third year students in preparation for the Phase 1 Integrated Medical Sciences Assessment, covering all modules learned thus far. Each session comprises a short lecture and a series of case studies undertaken in small groups. The emphasis of the course is the integration and application of knowledge rather than examination coaching. Organisation, teaching material production and delivery is all undertaken by senior medical students.