Practice, Connect, Care: Peer-to-Peer Medical Learning for a New Generation

Implementation of the Project/Course  

The Skills Lab @ETH is implemented as a dedicated practical learning environment designed and run jointly by students and supervisors. Its core idea is to enable medical students to train essential clinical skills in a realistic yet safe setting before working with real patients. The Lab is organized in small-group sessions, combining structured practice, guided peer-to-peer support, and supervised feedback.

Students learn and practice a wide range of procedures such as intravenous catheter placement, injections, suturing, blood drawing, and ultrasound scanning. Training is carried out on high-quality anatomical models and simulators, ensuring technical realism. Modern technologies further enhance the experience: AI-powered avatars simulate patient personalities, emotions, and medical histories, while VR headsets immerse learners in authentic clinical scenarios ranging from routine consultations to emergency situations. Portable, high-resolution ultrasound devices are used to train both the technical handling and the interpretation of findings.

A central element of the implementation is the peer learning model. Student coaches, who have themselves received dedicated training in both technical skills and didactics, guide their peers through the exercises. This reduces performance pressure, fosters mutual trust, and creates a culture of openness where questions are encouraged, and mistakes are seen as learning opportunities. Coaches simultaneously consolidate their own expertise while gaining valuable teaching skills.

The Lab operates with a combination of active teaching and reflective practice. Students receive immediate formative feedback from peers, coaches, and supervisors. Engagement is further strengthened by the interactive and immersive design of the sessions, which allow repeated practice in a low-stakes environment.

Communication takes place on multiple levels: between students and coaches, among peers, and with supervisors. This ensures a constant exchange of perspectives and supports collaborative learning. In addition, the Lab welcomes students from other health-related professions and disciplines such as nursing, pharmacy, and sonography. Practicing side by side fosters interprofessional collaboration, broadens mutual understanding, and prepares future healthcare professionals for teamwork in real clinical environments.

The Lab is primarily implemented as in-person teaching in small groups, but it is complemented by asynchronous elements such as preparation videos and digital resources. Challenges in implementation have included coordinating schedules across different curricular programs and ensuring a sufficient number of trained student coaches. These challenges have been addressed by introducing a systematic training pathway for coaches, supported institutionally to guarantee continuity.

Motivation, Project Mission, Vision Statement

The Skills Lab @ETH was created to address the need for a safe and motivating environment where students can practice clinical skills without risk to patients. At its core is the vision that learning is most effective when students teach and support each other. The Lab promotes a culture of openness, where trying, failing, and trying again is encouraged. Student coaches guide peers effectively and empathetically. This fosters mutual trust and reduces performance pressure. The mission of the Skills Lab @ETH is to unite technical precision with human connection – preparing future healthcare professionals not only to master procedures but also to communicate with empathy and confidence. Through interprofessional collaboration with students from nursing, pharmacy, and other health professions, the Lab aims to break down silos and strengthen teamwork, ensuring sustainability of both skills and teaching culture for future generations.

Innovative Elements

The Skills Lab @ETH integrates peer-to-peer learning, interprofessional collaboration, and advanced technology in one setting. Starting in the first semester of medical studies at ETH, students practice core clinical procedures on high-quality simulators, enhanced by VR and AI-powered avatars simulating emotions, patient histories, and realistic interactions. Portable ultrasound devices allow training in technical handling and interpretation.

This approach combines tactile, visual, and interactive elements with strong peer learning. The result is a vibrant and sustainable learning environment that goes far beyond traditional teaching methods. Thanks to its flexible format, new ideas and technologies can be tried out and directly integrated into practice.

Effects on Student Learning

Students report feeling safe to experiment, fail, and improve without fear of judgment. Peer coaches guide them step by step, creating trust and reducing pressure. This close supervision provides a unique opportunity for the acquisition of skills through guided practice and repetition, in addition to creating a supportive atmosphere which fosters curiosity, confidence, and competence. Before the course, clear learning objectives are provided to give the students orientation. For each learning activity, guidance is provided, before, during and after the sessions. Coaches themselves deepen their knowledge by teaching others. Feedback shows increased engagement, better understanding of clinical workflows, and improved teamwork skills. The use of simulation technologies ensures transferability to real clinical situations while protecting patient safety. One student summarized: “It was the first time I felt safe to try, fail, and try again – with a peer right next to me.”

Which Elements of Your Project Would You Recommend to Others? 

The peer-to-peer learning model is highly transferable: student coaches develop confidence and teaching skills, while learners benefit from relatable explanations. Combining simulation with interprofessional collaboration can be scaled to many settings. Systematic training of student coaches ensures sustainability, as knowledge and culture are continuously passed on. The approach demonstrates how impactful the empowerment of students can be to become active shapers of their learning environment.