Implementing a Near-peer Advising Program During the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clerkship Improves Students' Experience.

Objectives: Near-peer advising (NPA) is an effective intervention to address gaps in medical education by pairing advisees with advisors of similar social, educational, and professional levels.

Methods: We implemented an NPA program within a core obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) clerkship. The near-peer advisor's role was to lead orientation sessions, send clerkship resources, provide mid- and end-clerkship in-person check-ins, and serve as a feedback liaison between students and clerkship leadership. A postclerkship survey explored how the NPA program impacted clerkship students' learning and experience including setting up for clinical success, implementing feedback, developing an organizational system, providing study resources, navigating interpersonal relationships, and understanding clerkship logistics. Descriptive statistics were reported and qualitative themes were identified using content analysis.

Results: At the three clerkship sites there were 179 students who completed the OBGYN clerkship between February 2022 and March 2023. Of those, 36 (20.1%) completed the postsurvey and 22 (61.1%) of clerkship students reported the NPA program had a positive impact on their clerkship experience. The program helped students perform successfully in clinical settings (n = 18, 54.5%), implement feedback (n = 9, 27.3%), develop an organizational system for studying (n = 13, 39.4%), access study resources (n = 19, 57.6%), navigate interpersonal relationships (n = 7, 21.2%) and understand clerkship logistics (n = 14, 42.4%). Qualitative themes included clearer orientation, improved studying preparedness, and providing safety-net resources.

Conclusion: The majority of clerkship students found NPAs a useful resource to assist them in effectively participating in the OBGYN clerkship, developing an organizational system of learning, and navigating team dynamics. NPA interventions are a feasible, effective, and accessible method to improve student experience in the core OBGYN clerkship.