1. Peer Support: The extent and impact of peer support across undergraduate diagnostic radiography programmes in the UK
Steven Cox & Robert Meertens

2. What is Peer Support?
Peer support can have a variety of roles and aims depending on how it is employed.
Boud (2014) Broadly defines peer support as
“Students learning from and with each other in both formal and informal ways”
Pastoral
Curricula
PALS
Buddies

3. Motives Widen understanding of current peer support in DI
Look into why peer support may not be used
Look into the requirements to begin effective peer support programmes
Investigate the different peer support approaches that HEI’s employ
Understand the benefits and challenges of peer support in DI
Form ideas around how we make peer support programmes even more effective in DI

4. Methods Released a survey of all the HEI’s in the UK Investigated:
Whether an HEI used peer support
Why they may not and what they would require to begin one
How HEI’s organise their peer support programmes
What HEI’s see as the main benefits and issues of their peer support programmes
Limitations, thanking funders, justifying – future , getting a feel

5. Main Findings
Two thirds of our respondents employed some degree of peer support programme
Those that employed peer support programmes generally followed a similar pattern
Common concerns for those who did not have a peer support programme was a lack of understanding for what such a programme would require.
“How much time and commitment of staff?”
“How large is the workload for student support?”
“How do you organise the scheme?”

6. “The greatest request has been for more stress management”
Common Themes
Stage 2/3 students support stage 1 students
Peer mentors usually volunteer
One staff member would initially organise but would then pass on responsibility to the students
Usually running sessions covering physics, anatomy and clinical practice modules
Mental health issues were also a big focus of peer support
“The greatest request has been for more stress management”

7. Diverse Themes and Features
Voluntary
Mandatory
More the Merrier
Best of the Best
Talking Signposts
Essential Contributors
Informal “Buddies”
Trained Tutors
Course Focused
University organised

8. “In our first year of running the scheme we had zero attrition”
Positive themes
“Students feel happy with what they achieve”
Mentor rewards
Satisfaction
Improved Confidence
Sense of achievement
Job prospects
Decreased attrition
“They benefit mainly through a growth in confidence and a realisation that they can be a part of helping students to achieve more”
Original goals not necessarily met, interesting it wasn’t expected evolved from literature
“In our first year of running the scheme we had zero attrition”

9. Challenges Logistics Student engagement Limited communication
“The lack of harmonization of placement / campus time for students in different years”
“The greatest challenge is getting students to realise this is a STUDENT LED and RUN project and the initiative is theirs to take”
Logistics
Student engagement
Limited communication
Teaching ahead of the curriculum
Sustainability
Training/Preparing Mentors
“Ensuring that the PALs students do not teaching new information and get ahead of the teaching.”
“PALs students need to have excellent exam [grades] and this doesn't always tie in with the more engaging personalities”

10. How can we apply this in practice?
Peer support must happen at all levels
It must be brought out of the education setting
Why isn’t there a greater focus in practice?
What are the barriers to peer support?

11. Going forward Further Research
Help HEI’s to begin peer support programmes if not already utilised
Enhance current peer support programmes
Stronger together!
Any questions and references.

12. Any Questions? Contact at: soc202@exeter.ac.uk @StevenCox98
@RobertMeertens
References:
Boud D, Cohen R, Sampson J. Peer Learning in Higher Education: Learning from and with Each Other. Abingdon: Routledge; 2014
Meertens, R. Utilisation of a Peer Assisted Learning Scheme in an Undergraduate Diagnostic Radiography Module. Radiology. 2016; 22(1): e69 - e74