Telemedicine for Peer-to-Peer Psychiatry Learning Between U.K. and Somaliland Medical Students

• Published in: Academic psychiatry Vol. 37; no. 3; pp. 182 - 186
• Main Authors: Keynejad, Roxanne, Ali, Faisal R., Finlayson, Alexander E. T., Handuleh, Jibriil, Adam, Gudon, Bowen, Jordan S.T., Leather, Andrew, Little, Simon J., Whitwell, Susannah
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer-Verlag 01.05.2013; American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Anxiety Disorders; Brief Report; College Students; Colleges & universities; Computer Mediated Communication; Cost Effectiveness; Cultural Influences; Distance Education; Djibouti; Education; Education, Medical, Undergraduate - methods; Educational Benefits; Educational Resources; England (London); Female; Females; Foreign Countries; Humans; Internet; Learning; Learning Experience; Literature Reviews; Male; Males; Medical Education; Medical Students; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Meetings; Mental health; Outcomes of Education; Partnerships in Education; Peer Group; Peer Teaching; Pilot Projects; Posttraumatic Stress Disorder; Psychiatry; Psychiatry - education; Psychopathology; Questionnaires; Somalia; Student Attitudes; Student Interests; Students, Medical; Teaching Methods; Telemedicine; Telemedicine - methods; Therapy; United Kingdom; Somalia; United Kingdom (London); United Kingdom > UK; Somaliland; Academic Psychiatry; Acad Psychiatry; Instant Messenger; Psychiatry Training; Medical Student
• ISSN: 1042-9670; 1545-7230
• DOI: 10.1176/appi.ap.11080148

Objective The proportion of U.K. medical students applying for psychiatry training continues to decline, whereas, in Somaliland, there are no public-sector psychiatrists. This pilot study assessed the usefulness and feasibility of online, instant messenger, peer-to-peer exchange for psychiatry education between cultures. Methods Twenty medical students from King’s College, London, and Hargeisa University (Somaliland) met online in pairs every 2 weeks to discuss prearranged psychiatric topics, clinical cases, and treatment options, completing online evaluations throughout. Results Average ratings of the enjoyment, academic helpfulness, and interest of sessions were 4.31, 3.56, and 4.54 (of a maximum of 5), respectively; 83% would recommend the partnership to a friend. Conclusions This partnership enabled students on both sides to exploit psychiatry-learning resources at the other’s disposal, outside the standard medical education context, illustrating the benefits to medical students in dramatically different locations of partnership through telemedicine. This pilot study presents an innovative, cost-effective, under-used approach to international medical education.