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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

SO320

Developing skills, professional identity, and empathy in medical students: Peer teaching in psychiatry

BUILDING SKILLS, PROFESSIONAL IDENTITY, AND EMPATHY IN MEDICAL STUDENTS: PEER TUTORING IN PSYCHIATRY

Students serving as peer tutors during their psychiatry rotation report substantial gains in clinical reasoning, communication, responsibility, and empathy.

Although the benefits of peer-assisted learning for junior students are well established, its impact on student tutors has received limited attention. This study aimed to examine the perceived benefits for tutors of a peer teaching program launched in 2025 during the fourth-year psychiatry rotation at the University of São Paulo School of Medicine. The study used a cross-sectional mixed-methods design; 7 tutors participated in the program in 2025 and 12 in 2026, with 3 students participating in both years. Data were collected through an online survey containing Likert-type items and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed descriptively, and qualitative responses underwent thematic content analysis. A total of 16 psychiatry peer tutors participated (mean age 24.1 ± 1.7 years). The proportions reporting improvement, indicated by Likert scores of 4 or 5, were 100% for acquiring psychiatric knowledge, 88% for clarity in explaining clinical concepts, 88% for conducting a high-quality mental status examination, 81% for psychiatric clinical reasoning, facilitating clinical discussions, and understanding patients’ psychological suffering, and 75% for active listening skills. Addressing diverse student needs emerged as the main theme, with reported improvements of 83% in peer relationships and communication, 91% in empathy and clinical sensitivity, and 88% in teaching skills; 88% reported improvement in their ability to provide structured, constructive feedback. Interest in teaching activities was reported by 75% before the experience and remained at 75% afterward, while interest in an academic career rose from 56% to 63%; no substantial differences were perceived in these areas. Qualitative responses suggest that peer teaching reinforced existing interests. The authors concluded that peer teaching in psychiatry strengthens professional identity by enhancing communication skills, a sense of responsibility, and empathy, and may serve as a strategy for humanistic medical education.

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