Effectiveness of Peer Assisted Learning on Academic Performance of First Phase Medical Students in Comprehending Difficult Topics of Neuroanatomy

Background: Peer assisted learning (PAL), a dynamic teaching tool, fosters collaborative learning, knowledge acquisition, and skills development in medical education. Neuroanatomy is a critical and complex part of medical curriculum which students need to understand during initial period of anatomy learning. With the help of PAL, the struggle faced by first phase medical learners to complex learning patterns is addressed. The study aims to quantitatively define PAL’s outcomes by comparison of academic scores and evaluate learner’s perception towards PAL. Material and Methods: The study was conducted in UNS Autonomous State Medical College, Jaunpur in a batch of 99 first phase medical learners (year 2022-23). Teaching material, teaching learning methods and assessment material were created from select topics of neuroanatomy. PAL session was conducted for each (5) topic with 10 tutees in each session. After every session post-test analysis was done for both tutees and tutors, followed by a survey questionnaire assessing the benefits of PAL. Results: The results show a significant increase in performance metrics for learners after the PAL session, though the results were non-significant for tutors. The survey report suggests benefits from PAL in form of active engagement, improved problem-solving skills and enhanced critical thinking. Conclusion: The study underscores PAL as a valuable and effective teaching tool in medical education that can be used at the very outset of medical learning. It works as a supportive aid to low performers who face challenge in handling the complex parts of a curriculum. KEYWORDS: Peer Assisted Learning, Peer Tutoring, Medical Education, Neuroanatomy, First Phase Learners, Slow Learners.