A French national remote peer tutoring initiative: the gastroenterology course example

Access to preparatory resources for the French National Ranking Exam (NRE) varies widely among medical students, contributing to heterogeneous preparation experiences. To promote equity, we created TACFA, a resident-led association providing free, nationwide remote peer-tutoring courses. This study evaluates the feasibility and acceptability of a national Gastroenterology preparatory lecture. The lecture was designed by resident tutors and proofread by medical professors. It included interactive clinical cases and open discussion. Participant perceptions, including satisfaction and perceived usefulness were assessed using pre- and post-course surveys. Among 2,395 regular TACFA participants, 1,453 (60.7%) attended the Gastroenterology lecture, and 1,322 (55.2%) completed the post-course survey. Among them, 1,227 were fifth-year students, accounting for 12.8% of the 9,600 expected NRE candidates in 2025. Participants represented all 35 French medical faculties, with a median age of 22 years, and 61.4% identifying as women. Despite 78% of students engaging in regular private preparatory activities, the TACFA lecture garnered positive feedback. Main motivations for private preparation were perceived program effectiveness (58.9%) and fear of missed opportunities (57.4%). The Gastroenterology lecture attracted 200 live attendees and 6,800 YouTube views at 6 months. Students rated the lecture 6.9/10 (SD: 1.7), and 83.6% reported that the lecture helped them to gain skills and knowledge necessary to prepare for the NRE. Students gave an average recommendation score of 8.9/10 (SD: 1.4). This study demonstrates the feasibility and acceptability of a national remote peer-tutoring lecture in Gastroenterology. Resident-led, accessible educational initiatives such as TACFA are well received by students and may support scalable approaches.