Student led expert interviews improve knowledge and attitudes toward HIV and AIDS among medical students

Student-centered experiential learning approaches have gained recognition for their effectiveness in medical education. This study evaluated the impact of student-led interviews with HIV/AIDS counselors and program officers on third-year medical students’ knowledge and attitudes toward HIV/AIDS and the National AIDS Control Program (NACP), utilizing vicarious learning mechanisms where student led interviews facilitated learning. A mixed-methods pre-post intervention study was conducted with 116 third-year medical students at a private medical college in Gujarat, India. The intervention utilized Bandura’s social learning theory, where two student representatives facilitated structured interviews with ICTC/ART counselors and DISHA officers while the class observed and actively participated through guided activities. Knowledge was assessed using a validated 13-item questionnaire (content validity index = 0.92, Cronbach’s α = 0.78), and attitudes were measured using psychometrically tested 5-point Likert scale questions. Exploratory qualitative data were collected through open-ended questions to understand student perceptions. Significant improvements were observed in both knowledge and attitudes. Knowledge scores increased from 9.53 (SD = 1.44) to 12.00 (SD = 1.44) out of 13 (Cohen’s d = 1.72). Attitude scores improved from how to 4.29 to 4.81 on a 5-point scale (Cohen’s d = 1.93). Qualitative themes emerged from students’ self-reported data of perceived value of real-world perspectives and enhanced empathy. Student-led expert interviews utilizing vicarious learning mechanisms provide an effective experiential learning approach for HIV/AIDS education, with quantitative measures demonstrating significant improvements in both knowledge acquisition and attitude development. While exploratory qualitative data suggest positive student perceptions, future research should employ structured qualitative methodologies to explore underlying mechanisms. This methodology shows promise for bridging theoretical learning with real-world practice.