Near-peer Learning in Clinical Education: A Systematic Review

Background: Near-peer learning in Clinical Education (CE) has been considered an alternative to faculty led learning in undergraduate health professional curricula due to factors such as staffing shortages, financial pressures, increased student numbers, and emphasis on providing different types of learning for students. Currently at the University of Otago School of Physiotherapy (UOSP), fourth year students provide clinical supervision for second year students. Aims: To review the literature surrounding near-peer learning in health professional undergraduate curricula, identify evidence for the current nearpeer learning model at the UOSP, and suggest directions for further research. Methods: Four assessors reviewed near peer literature for methodological quality, according to Sackett et al. (2000) and Law et al. (1998). Seventeen articles were selected. Articles were tiered according to subject: Non-physiotherapy field, non-clinical setting; Physiotherapy field, non-clinical setting; Nonphysiotherapy field, clinical education; and Physiotherapy field, clinical education. Results: The majority of research analysed perceptions of the effectiveness of near-peer learning programs. Despite several articles having poor methodology and mixed results, the majority were in favour of near-peer learning. No articles fitted into our main area of interest, which was physiotherapy in a clinical setting. Conclusion: Literature in the area of peer learning in undergraduate clinical education is of poor quality. No clear parameters have been identified on a gold standard inter-year peer learning model. Further research with control groups, objective outcome measures and definitive conclusions is warranted in the field of near peer learning in clinical fields.