Impact of near-peer teaching on medical English learning motivation among medical students and residents.

The study evaluated the effectiveness of near-peer teaching in medical English education and found that it led to higher levels of motivation, curiosity, initiative, self-efficacy, learning goals, and psychological safety among participants compared to traditional teacher-centered approaches. The study also observed behavioral changes and active engagement in English learning among participants. We hope that our activity will inspire other educators to adopt similar approaches in their medical English classes and promote more effective language learning among health professionals.

Medical English Education in Japan†:†Developing a Curriculum to Motivate Students by Providing Visualization Opportunities Using Near-peer Teaching.

Despite advancements in the pedagogy of medical education in various fields, Japan has no standardized medical English education. The U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Study Group of Tokushima is an extracurricular activity in which medical students and recent graduates meet every 1-2 months. The aim is to stimulate students' curiosity ; cultivate their initiative, self-efficacy, and English learning goals ; and motivate them to be self-regulated learners. Accordingly, we conducted near-peer teaching style lectures that focused on sharing medical English-related experiences, so students could have regular opportunities to visualize the benefits of learning medical English. Following the activities, we observed increased motivation and self-study among students, resulting in a high USMLE passing rate. Furthermore, five members started their training at American hospitals and pursued careers in English-speaking environments. Thus, near-peer teaching style leads to shared medical English-related experiences that help students to visualize English-related opportunities. This education style taught by similar generations aids in setting a specific goal by providing access to role models, cultivating their initiative and self-efficacy, motivating them to learn English, and producing positive outcomes.Modifying the curriculum to actively create opportunities for students to visualize themselves in an international environment can motivate them to continue learning English. J. Med. Invest. 69 : 332-334, August, 2022.