Exploring Medical Students’ Perceptions of Near-peer Teaching in Musculoskeletal OSCE Preparation

Abstract Background Earlier studies have demonstrated suboptimal confidence among recently graduated medical students in diagnosing and managing musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions, despite the high prevalence of MSK disorders, underscoring gaps in MSK education. As a result, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) in MSK medicine can be particularly challenging for novice medical students. Near-peer teaching (NPT) may be a valuable teaching modality for improving medical students’ knowledge and confidence. Objective To explore medical students’ perceptions and the factors influencing their perceived value of NPT, specifically for MSK OSCE preparation. Methods Students enrolled in the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB) programme at the University of Leicester who had previously received MSK OSCE-related teaching from a near-peer tutor participated in semi-structured interviews. Participant recruitment ceased after interviews were conducted with 12 participants, as the research team judged that the interviews provided sufficient information power to develop a rich and nuanced thematic analysis to address the research question. Results Interviews with 12 participants yielded four themes: the learning environment, exam-focused guidance, the attributes of the near-peer tutor, and the logistics of delivery. Students perceived NPT as a safe learning environment and a source of OSCE-specific insights from tutors who had recently and successfully navigated the same assessments, which is not easily recreated in faculty-led teaching. Tutor attributes, such as relatability, approachability, and their perceived commitment and dedication, emerged as key determinants of favourable perceptions of NPT. However, the extracurricular nature of NPT offered flexibility for some, while others felt it added additional time constraints when faculty-led teaching was easier to access. Students suggested integrating NPT into the curriculum to improve participation. Conclusion NPT was perceived as a highly valuable learning modality for developing MSK-related competency for students preparing for their OSCEs.