A Student-as-Teacher Program: A Pathway to the Accountability of Medical Education Systems

Background: Teaching is identified as a necessary role and responsibility for junior faculty members in their future careers.Objectives: The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that a student-as-teacher (SaT) program can effectively prepare the students for their future roles as teachers and educators.Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, the participants included ۱۴۳ postgraduate students of ۱۲ doctorate and master’s degree programs at Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, who were selected by census method . Nine learning objectives were classified in four competencydomains: (۱) adult learning principles; (۲) instructional design; (۳) teaching and learning processes; and (۴) learner’s assessment. The educational methods were based on an active learning approac.Results: The mean score of learners in the practical assessment was ۱۲.۵±۳.۶ out of ۱۵, and their mean score in the modified essay test was ۸.۵±۱.۵ out of ۱۰ after the educational intervention. The results showed that the scores of the learners’ attitude about cooperative learning were significantly different before (۲.۳۸±۰.۳۱) and after (۴.۱۵±۰.۶۵) the intervention (P=۰.۰۰۰۱). Also, the scores of learners’ capabilities in teaching were significantly different before (۲.۵±۰.۶۱) and after (۳.۸۰±۰.۳۴) the intervention (P=۰.۰۰۰۱). The learners considered their teaching capabilities to be at the level of “familiarity without mastery” and “implementation mastery” before and after the intervention, respectively (P=۰.۰۰۰۱).Conclusion: It is recommended to develop and implement SaT programs to improve the teaching capabilities of students using innovative teaching methods and prepare them for their future roles as instructors and teachers.

Keywords:

Teaching , Competency , Educational Capability , Postgraduate Program