Taking Peer Teaching to the Next Level: Career Exploration Course Developed and Taught by MLS Students

ABSTRACT

Teaching educational methodologies is a required curriculum element of National Accreditation Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences–accredited medical laboratory science (MLS) programs. Finding a meaningful way to allow students to demonstrate and practice their skills has been a challenge. To address this challenge, we launched a pilot project to provide MLS students the opportunity to teach a two-credit science, technology, engineering, and math career exploration course for high school students titled “Medical Detectives.” This course gives high school students an experiential introduction to the MLS profession. MLS students were responsible for both designing and teaching this course. The educational methodologies that were designed and implemented by the MLS students included lectures, discussions, group learning activities, collaborative laboratory modules, and flipped classroom coursework. The primary goal of this pilot program was for the MLS students to learn and apply the principles of course design and delivery. The secondary goal of this program was for high school students to learn about the MLS profession, career opportunities, and our MLS program. Successful achievement of these goals were determined by course evaluations and an MLS student survey. Results from high school student course evaluations showed 80% of the students reported Interest in the field ranged from mildly to very interested after taking the course. Results from the MLS student survey showed 100% of students felt that they had gained substantial to exceptional progress toward applying educational methodologies. Based on these assessments, the program has met its initial goals and we plan to improve and expand the project.