Impact of a near-peer teaching program within a college of pharmacy on interest in mentoring roles

Background and purpose: Near-peer teaching within healthcare education has numerous benefits, but there is limited literature to assess the impact that these experiences have on skill development and future teaching roles. This study describes the impact of serving as a near-peer teaching assistant on both former and current pharmacy students. Educational activity and setting: The University of Texas at Austin College of Pharmacy implemented the Academic Assistant (AA) program in 2009 to provide an opportunity for students to participate as near-peer educators in a variety of courses. To determine the impact of these AA positions on current and former students, participants from five years of the program were surveyed regarding the impact of the program on skill development and current or future interest in teaching/mentoring. Findings: Current students in the AA program reported that participation increased the likelihood of pursuing a career with teaching/mentoring roles. A majority (65%) of alumni who participated in the program reported being in a current teaching/mentoring role with 42% responding that the AA program was impactful to their career choice. The qualitative analysis showed that direct impact to respondents included validating career goals and increasing interests in teaching/ mentoring roles. Those who reported no direct impact on their career still gained valuable professional skills that included: public speaking, time management, broadened perspectives, and increased understanding of academia career expectations. Summary: Providing opportunities for pharmacy students to serve in near-peer teaching roles increased students' interest in pursuing teaching/mentoring roles and offered valuable professional experiences.