Medical laboratory students' practice and perception of peer feedback during hospital placement at Luwero General Hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Peer feedback also known as Peer assessment in educational contexts is defined as information provided to a learner by a fellow learner to reduce the gap between current performance and a desired goal. The primary purpose of peer feedback is to help learners adjust their thinking and behaviors to produce improved learning outcomes. When medical laboratory students are placed in hospitals, this assessment technique, either oral or written, can be used to examine students' practices and perceptions. Few publications in Uganda suggest peer feedback as an assessment method and most of the studies on practice and perception were done in the Western world. The objective of this study was to explore medical laboratory students' practice and perception of peer feedback during Hospital placement at Luwero General Hospital. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted at Luwero Hospital among the medical laboratory students of St. Pantileimon, St. Denison, and Kiwoko Medical Laboratory Training School. Purposive sampling was used to select participants. Data was collected through focused group discussion, audio recorded, transcribed, and transcriptions thematically analyzed. Results: This study was conducted in July among 24 participants of medical laboratory students through focused group discussion. Two themes emerged from the study findings. Practice regarding peer feedback, Perception regarding the practice of peer feedback, and comfortability of giving and receiving honest peer feedback. The study found that students practiced and utilized peer feedback while on hospital placement. peer feedback was delivered to peers verbally, and the frequency of peer feedback was based on the detection of a learning deficit in how to do a laboratory test by a peer. peers were comfortable giving and receiving constructive, honest feedback, but it was also determined that it’s important to first create a safe, open environment where peers feel at ease giving and receiving feedback. Conclusions: Students actively participate in peer feedback practices during hospital placement. Peer feedback helps create a friendly and interactive environment while increasing student involvement and participation. However, to further enhance peer feedback, practice is recommended that peer-to-peer recognition be embraced to create a more collaborative, sympathetic workplace, which will make peers feel valued and more confident.