Perceived tutor benefits of teaching near peers: insights from two near peer teaching programmes in South East Scotland

Abstract

Background and aims There is little evidence about the benefits to junior doctors of participating in teaching, or how to train doctors as teachers. We explore (through South East Scotland based teaching programmes): (a) How prepared do junior doctors feel to teach? (b) What junior doctors consider to be the main challenges of teaching? (c) What motivates the junior doctors to continue teaching, and what is the perceived impact of teaching on their professional development? Methods and results ‘Questionnaire 1’, distributed at ‘tutor training days’, explored (i) attitudes towards teaching and (ii) tutors’ preparedness to teach. ‘Questionnaire 2’, distributed after completion of a teaching programme, evaluated the tutor experience of teaching. Results Seventy-six per cent of tutors reported no previous teacher training; 10% were able to teach during allocated work hours. The strongest motivation for teaching was to help students with their learning and to develop teaching skills. Ninety one per cent of tutors felt more prepared to teach by the end of the programme. Tutors also improved their clinical skills from teaching. Conclusions There is a body of junior doctors, who see teaching as an important part of their career, developing both teaching and clinical skills in the tutor. If teaching is expected of foundation doctors, rotas ought to be more flexible to facilitate both teaching and teacher training.