Perceived Usefulness of Reciprocal Peer Teaching Among Doctor of Physical Therapy Students in the Gross Anatomy Laboratory

Abstract

Background and Purpose. Reciprocal peer teaching (RPT) describes an education method whereby students alternate between teacher and student roles. The use of RPT has not been described in previous physical therapist education literature. The first purpose of this study was to assess the perceived usefulness of RPT among first-year Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) students as a method for teaching and learning human anatomical relationships in the dissection laboratory. The second purpose was to determine if exposure to RPT during a semester course in gross anatomy had an effect on students' anatomy course grade. Subjects. Participants were 27 professional (entry-level) DPT students, graduating class of 2008, who participated in the RPT experience in the gross anatomy laboratory, and 21 DPT students, graduating class of 2007, who did not participate in the RPT experience. Methods. Students in teacher roles worked in pairs and rotated among their fellow classmates within the laboratory, illustrating anatomical concepts previously discussed in the classroom. At the completion of the course, students were queried about the perceived usefulness of the RPT experience using a 12-item survey instrument that used a 5-point Likert scale. The internal consistency of the survey instrument was estimated by Cronbach's alpha. The median anatomy course grade (MACG) for the class of 2008 and class of 2007 was compared statistically using a Mann-Whitney U-test. Results. Cronbach's alpha was 0.85. Students provided the strongest responses for survey items that assessed the perceived usefulness of RPT for teaching and learning anatomical relationships (median Likert scores ranged from 4 to 5). MACG for the class of 2008 (MACG = 3.70) was significantly greater than the MACG for the class of 2007 (MACG = 3.30; Z = -2.19, P = .029). Discussion and Conclusion. First-year DPT students perceived the usefulness of RPT in the dissection laboratory as a valuable resource for teaching and learning anatomical concepts. In addition, the RPT experience was also perceived to be helpful when communicating with patients. Furthermore, exposure to RPT had a significant effect on the MACG.