Qualitative Analysis of a Virtual Near-Peer Pediatric Boot Camp Elective

Laura Even Elliott; John J Petosa Jr; Amy B Guiot; Melissa D Klein; Lisa E Herrmann

doi:10.1007/s40670-021-01466-w

Qualitative Analysis of a Virtual Near-Peer Pediatric Boot Camp Elective

Med Sci Educ. 2022 Jan 17;32(2):473-480. doi: 10.1007/s40670-021-01466-w. eCollection 2022 Apr.

Authors

Laura Even Elliott¹, John J Petosa Jr², Amy B Guiot^{3

4}, Melissa D Klein^{3

5}, Lisa E Herrmann^{3

4}

Affiliations

¹ Division of Emergency Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, MLC 1005, Cincinnati, OH 45229 USA.
² Department of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt, 2200 Children's Way, Room / Suite 1025, Nashville, TN 37232 USA.
³ Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, 3230 Eden Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45267 USA.
⁴ Division of Hospital Medicine, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Ave, MLC 9016, Cincinnati, OH 45229 USA.
⁵ Division of General Pediatrics and Community Pediatrics, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3430 Burnet Ave, MLC 2011, Cincinnati, OH 45229 USA.

Abstract

Objective: To explore fourth-year medical students' experience with a virtual, near-peer facilitated pediatric boot camp through the lens of self-determination theory (SDT).

Methods: We developed a virtual pediatric boot camp elective for fourth-year medical students pursuing pediatric residency using Kern's six steps of curriculum development. The two-week virtual elective consisted of facilitated video conferences and small group discussions led by two senior pediatric residents. Semi-structured focus groups were conducted after elective completion. Using SDT as our conceptual framework, we explored participants' experience with the near-peer facilitation of the boot camp. Focus group recordings were transcribed and thematically analyzed using deductive coding for SDT, with inductive coding for themes outside the theory's scope. Saturation was reached after three focus groups. The codebook was iteratively revised through peer debriefing between coders and reviewed by other authors. Credibility was established through member checking.

Results: Ninety-two percent of eligible medical students (n = 23/25) participated in the boot camp with attendance ranging from 18-21 students per session. Twelve students (52%) participated in three focus groups. Qualitative analysis identified five major themes. Four themes consistent with SDT emerged: competence, autonomy, relatedness to near-peers, and relatedness to specialty/institution. The learning environment, including the virtual setting, emerged as an additional, non-SDT-related theme.

Conclusions: Medical students' experience with our virtual boot camp closely aligned with SDT. Near-peer relatedness emerged as a unique theme which could be further investigated in other aspects of medical student education. Future research could evaluate higher-level learning outcomes from near-peer educational opportunities.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-021-01466-w.

Keywords: Boot camp; Medical student education; Near-peer facilitation; Virtual training.