Figure - available from: BMC Medical Education
This content is subject to copyright. Terms and conditions apply.
Consort -flow- diagram
Source publication
Background
One of the new educational systems is the mentorship method. This study aimed to investigate the effect of peer mentoring program on clinical academic progress and psychological characteristics of operating room students.
Methods
This research was a randomized controlled trial that was conducted on undergraduate students in the operatin...
Citations
... This study indicated that first-year nursing students who received peer support had lower clinical stress levels and made better progress in developing psychomotor nursing skills [46]. A clinical trial by Sediq et al. (2024) further demonstrated that peer mentoring programs significantly enhanced students' clinical academic performance, boosted their confidence, and reduced their stress and anxiety levels [47]. ...
Background
The first clinical experience in a hospital setting can be highly stressful for nursing students, often leading to significant anxiety. Addressing this issue requires effective interventions to help students transition smoothly into their clinical practice. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of an educational tour on preclinical anxiety among first-year nursing students.
Methods
This quasi-experimental study was conducted in 2024 in Tehran. A total of 72 s-semester nursing students were selected through convenience sampling and assigned to either the control group (n = 37) or the intervention group (n = 35). Before the start of clinical training, the intervention group participated in an educational tour of the hospital, conducted by the researcher, while the control group received no intervention. Data were collected using the Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) one week before the clinical training and after its completion.
Results
After completing the clinical training, the mean trait anxiety score was 34.28 ± 7.89 in the control group and 31.30 ± 6.70 in the intervention group. However, an independent t-test revealed that the difference in post-intervention trait anxiety scores between the two groups was not statistically significant (p = 0.089). In contrast, the mean state anxiety score after the intervention was 36.14 ± 7.38 in the control group and 31.21 ± 6.86 in the intervention group, demonstrating a significant reduction in anxiety levels among students who participated in the educational tour (p = 0.005).
Conclusion
The findings suggest that an educational tour can effectively reduce preclinical anxiety among first-year nursing students, making it a valuable strategy for improving their transition into hospital-based clinical training.
... This approach was purposefully selected to capture dental students' unique educational and personal obstacles at each phase of their education. Drawing from the FGD results, each academic year introduced fresh complexities in academic coursework [7] and practical training, signi cantly impacting students' stress levels, motivation, and speci c learning requirements. ...
... Engagement only improved when students validated each other's experiences, highlighting the importance of peer support and structured mentorship. This aligns with existing literatures suggesting that structured mentorship programs can mitigate transition anxiety and improve students' clinical con dence [7,8]. Active facilitation by educators may encourage participation, reduce learning anxiety, and foster a more supportive clinical learning environment. ...
Introduction Training individuals to become dental professionals involves addressing multiple challenges related to a student’s learning experience. This study aimed to identify the learning issues and stress factors affecting dental students at a premier dental school in Malaysia. Focus group discussions (FGDs) were used to gather qualitative insights into students’ experiences, highlighting common struggles across clinical training years. Methods Thirty clinical-year dental students (years three, four, and five) participated in online FGDs. Theoretical and homogeneous purposive sampling techniques ensured diverse yet comparable perspectives. Discussions were facilitated using a validated topic guide to explore learning needs, motivation, instructional strategies, content, learning environment, and academic performance. Thematic analysis was employed to identify key themes and a triangulation analysis incorporating FGD transcripts, field notes, and digital engagement patterns provided a comprehensive understanding of students’ challenges and learning preferences. Results FGDs revealed shared challenges among all clinical-year students, including difficulties transitioning to clinical training, balancing academic and clinical responsibilities, and coping with performance-related stress. The triangulation analysis highlighted discrepancies between verbalized concerns and observed engagement patterns, revealing underlying anxiety, self-doubt, and cognitive fatigue. Students preferred structured guidance, interactive learning methods, and timely feedback. While confidence increased with clinical experience, assessment transparency and workload concerns remained prevalent. Preference for student-centred, experiential, and reflective learning strategies was common. Discussion FGDs provided distinct insights into the unique challenges faced by dental students, highlighting the need for a supportive and adaptive educational environment. They also emphasized the importance of student-centred learning (SCL), which incorporates experiential and reflective practices to enhance academic performance and well-being. Conclusion This study highlights the challenges faced by dental students, emphasizing the importance of academic support and tailor-made SCL strategies. Addressing these needs, including structured mentorship, active learning approaches such as case-based and problem-based learning (PBL), transparent assessment criteria with constructive feedback, and optimized workload management, can enhance academic performance, alleviate stress, and create a more supportive and effective learning environment.
... The study results provide insight into multiple potential areas of interventions based on the observed trends that can be then assessed through pre-post intervention wellcontrolled longitudinal studies to establish their practical implications [58]. First, the adoption of academic support strategies in the form of mentorship programs implemented by the faculty members should be encouraged and supervised to help students get through their curricula, manage their time, and relieve their stress [59]. Mentorship programs can be implemented by recruiting faculty members or senior students and pairing them with junior students based on shared interests or specialties. ...
Background Academic self-efficacy (ASE), influenced by various sociodemographic, lifestyle, and psychological factors, is a critical determinant of academic performance in medical students. In Egypt, the medical education system underwent recent drastic changes. Therefore, we aim to explore the effects of these changes on the variables above and, subsequently, on ASE among a national sample of Egyptian medical students. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study across 30 Egyptian medical colleges using a validated electronic Arabic survey to evaluate sociodemographic, lifestyle behaviors, psychological factors, and ASE. Categorical variables were described using frequencies and percentages, while Continuous variables were summarized as mean and standard deviation. Bivariate analysis with post-hoc testing, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and multivariate linear regression were employed to assess the associations between the study variables and ASE. Data analysis was performed using R Statistical Software. Results A total of 1446 participants were included, with a mean age of 20.59 ± 1.68. Of these, 61.5% (n = 890) were Females, while 94.3% (n = 1363) were single. ASE was significantly associated with certain financial status, smoking , sleeping hours, breakfast patterns, diet changes, and fluids. Stress, anxiety, and depression were associated with and correlated to poor ASE. Only depression, oversleeping, and smoking were significant predictors of worse ASE. Conclusions Multiple variables are significantly associated with, correlated to, or predictors of ASE after the recent reform in the Egyptian medical education system. Subsequently, targeted interventions to specific sociodemographic, lifestyle, and psychological factors can be adopted and assessed through future longitudinal pre-post interventional studies.
... The concept of peer mentorship is rooted in the idea that students are more likely to engage with and benefit from advice provided by individuals who share similar experiences and understand the unique pressures of medical training [8]. Previous studies have shown that peer mentorship can improve academic outcomes, enhance student engagement, and reduce feelings of isolation and stress [9][10][11][12]. In the context of medical education, where the stakes are high and the environment is often competitive, such interventions may be particularly beneficial. ...
... No prior study has utilised intra-class (same-class) peer mentors in low-and middle-income settings. Previous peer mentoring programme typically paired members of each incoming class with mentors from the higher-year class [9][10][11][12]. A significant gap exists in understanding the effectiveness of peer mentorshipbased intervention programmes designed to improve academic performance, subjective vitality, and overall student engagement among academically underperforming medical students within the context of sameclass level mentoring. ...
... These findings are consistent with previous research indicating that peermentorship programmes can positively impact academic performance, particularly among students facing academic challenges. For example, a controlled study by Sedigh et al. in Iran similarly found that the intervention significantly enhanced academic progress in the intervention group compared to the control group [9]. Yoon and Ju's study also reported similar findings, showing that peer mentorship programmes increased students' confidence in basic skills and critical thinking [23]. ...
Background
A significant gap exists in understanding the effectiveness of intra-class (same-class) level peer mentorship programmes designed to enhance academic performance, well-being, and student involvement among underperforming medical students. This study assessed the effectiveness of intra-class (same-class) peer mentorship programme on the academic performances, subjective well-being and school engagement of academically underperforming medical students in Nigeria.
Methods
This was a quasi-experimental research consisting of the pretest-posttest control design at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Nigeria. Preclinical medical students from same class level were categorised into three groups: 7 academically underperforming students (mentees) scoring below 45% on the continuous assessment test (CAT), 12 mentors scoring 70% or above, and 30 controls scoring between 50% and 70%. Participants completed the Subjective Vitality Scale (SVS) and the self-University Student Engagement Inventory (USEI) before and after the 6-month programme, led by an experienced educationist. A post-programme CAT assessed academic performance, and quantitative data were analysed using paired-samples t-tests to evaluate changes in academic performance, SVS and USEI. The dimensions of students’ subjective vitality and the school engagement were considered in the analysis.
Results
A total of 49 students were included in the study, with 7 (14.3%) in the mentee group, 12 (24.3%) in the mentor group and 30 (61.2%) in the control group. The same-class peer mentorship intervention led to a significant improvement in CAT scores for the mentee group, with their median score rising from 40.0 to 70.0% (p = 0.003), while the control group’s median slightly decreased. The mentee group’s SVS (p = 0.722) and USEI (p = 0.388) scores non-significantly improved post-intervention. However, specific USEI items revealed significant post-intervention improvements in mentees’ classroom engagement or increased participation in discussions (p = 0.001) and enjoyment of school (p = 0.031). SVS items showed non-significant differences between groups post-intervention.
Conclusion
The same-class peer mentorship intervention significantly improved CAT scores among academically underperforming medical students, with modest gains in SVS and USEI scores. While overall vitality and engagement changes were not significant, classroom engagement improved. These findings support intra-class peer mentorship in medical education.
... Consequently, it is indispensable to change or complement the traditional perioperative apprenticeship methods with new practical and well-established approaches to cultivate the required perioperative competencies and performance of Iranian OR trainees. To this end, there is a growing interest in Iranian perioperative studies to establish active and productive clinical training methods for OR trainees [10][11][12][13]. ...
Background
Effective feedback is fundamental in clinical education, as it allows trainers to constantly diagnose the trainees’ condition, determine their weaknesses, and intervene at proper times. Recently, different feedback-based approaches have been introduced in clinical training; however, the effectiveness of such interventions still needs to be studied extensively, especially in the perioperative field. Therefore, this study sought to compare the effects of apprenticeship training using sandwich feedback and traditional methods on the perioperative competence and performance of Operating Room (OR) technology students.
Methods
Thirty final-semester undergraduate OR technology students taking the apprenticeship courses were randomly allocated into experimental (n = 15) and control (n = 15) groups through the stratified randomization approach. The students in the experimental group experienced Feedback-Based Learning (FBL) using a sandwich model, and the students in the control group participated in Traditional-Based Training (TBT) in six five-hour sessions weekly for three consecutive weeks. All students completed the Persian version of the Perceived Perioperative Competence Scale-Revised (PPCS-R) on the first and last days of interventions. Also, a blinded rater completed a checklist to evaluate all students’ performance via Direct Observation of Procedural Skills (DOPS) on the last intervention day. Besides, the students in the FBL filled out a questionnaire regarding their attitude toward the implemented program.
Results
The mean total score of the PPCS-R was significantly higher in the FBL than in the TBT on the last intervention day (P < 0.001). Additionally, the increase in mean change of PPCS-R total score from the first to last days was significantly more in the FBL (P < 0.001). Likewise, the FBL students had higher DOPS scores than the TBT ones (P < 0.001). Most FBL students also had a good attitude toward the implemented program (n = 8; 53.3%).
Conclusion
Apprenticeship training using a sandwich feedback-based approach was superior to the traditional method for enhancing perioperative competence and performance of final-semester OR technology students. Additional studies are required to identify the sustainability of the findings.
