Medical students' perceptions of their teaching skills after a training workshop

Abstract

Introduction: Pedagogical training is a key aspect in medical education, as it directly influences the quality of learning and the transmission of knowledge. Although pedagogical training for teaching assistants has demonstrated benefits at various institutions, there was no evidence available at the National University of Chimborazo regarding students' perceptions of the development of these competencies following their participation in a training program.

Objective: to analyze the perception of medical teaching assistants about their pedagogical skills after participating in a training workshop, highlighting the importance of their preparation to optimize teaching in the university setting.

Material and methods: A quantitative, observational, cross-sectional and descriptive study was carried out in February 2024, with 22 medical teaching assistant students of the National University of Chimborazo. A 17-question Likert-type questionnaire was applied to evaluate the organization of the course and the skills acquired. Descriptive statistics and Pearson's Chi Square test were used for data analysis.

Results: Participants positively evaluated the structure of the course, highlighting the cooperative environment and the need for an initial skills diagnosis. However, deficiencies were identified in practical teaching and the use of virtual environments. Statistical analysis revealed that seniority as a teaching assistant had a significant relationship with the perception of acquired skills, but not with the course design.

Conclusions: The training workshop had a positive impact on teaching assistants' perception of their teaching role. However, there are areas for improvement in practical teaching and the integration of digital tools.