Augmenting learning and professional growth through peer feedback in medical training: A narrative review

Abstract

As a part of medical training, students are expected to master many theoretical and practical subject-specific competencies. The role of peer-led initiatives in medical education has been well documented in the literature in aiding students to attain intended learning objectives. The purpose of the current review is to explore the benefits of peer feedback, enumerate methods for delivering peer feedback, identify the potential challenges, and propose strategies to overcome them. A thorough and detailed search related to the topic was carried out in the PubMed search engine and relevant published literature, published between 2015-2024, targeting peer feedback in the field of medical education were included in the review. A total of 23 articles were included in the present review, and keywords used in the search include peer feedback, students, learning, teaching, and medical education in the title alone only. Peer feedback is a specific type of constructive critique provided by individuals of similar status or experience to each other. It is a reciprocal process where everyone helps each other in supporting their growth, improving their self-awareness, and overall professional development. In conclusion, peer feedback is an effective approach to facilitate learning and promote professional growth among medical students. Even though concerns have been raised about its implementation, the need of the hour is to integrate peer feedback into medical education as it can create a supportive system for medical students during their training period.